Apple Seeking Deal to License Billions of Images to Train AI Models

[MacRumors]

Apple is believed to be among the companies seeking an agreement with Photobucket to train its artificial intelligence models, Reuters reports.

Photobucket's vast image library of over 13 billion photos and videos has attracted renewed interest as tech companies, including Apple, seek to license content for AI training purposes. The rise of generative AI has spurred demand for diverse datasets, and companies like Photobucket are able provide a vast amount of of visual data that could train AI to produce content in response to text prompts.

Apple already reached an agreement with Shutterstock to license millions of images shortly after the debut of ChatGPT in late 2022, in a deal believed to be worth $25 million to $50 million. The pursuit of "ethically sourced" and legally clear data marks a departure from the earlier practice of freely scraping web data. Apple is reportedly preparing to showcase a series of AI features with iOS 18 and its other major software updates at WWDC in June.

Article Link: Apple Seeking Deal to License Billions of Images to Train AI Models

 

[truthsteve]

every single image apple generates will have a shutter stock watermark /s

 

[now i see it]

Hey SIRI: haven’t I seen that image before?

 

[erikkfi]

And how much does each Photobucket uploader get per image under this "ethical deal"?

 

[icanhazmac]

Ug, so what I get from this is everyone using Photobucket "agreed" to have their pictures monetized? Gross.

 

[NT1440]

Wait, they’re not just going to scrape the internet and say to hell with artist’s rights?

You don’t get to be an “AI” leader that way…

😉

 

[hooptyuber]

Photobucket is one of the sleaziest, worst companies to ever exist. They locked everyone's accounts and held them hostage for astronomical fees after letting everyone load up their accounts with images for free for a couple of years. They are total dirtbags.

 

[sw1tcher]

Apple Seeking Deal to License Billions of Images to Train AI Models

License? That's very untypical of Apple. 😂

*cough* Masimo *cough*

Apple Poached Employees and Used Underhanded Tactics to Steal Trade Secrets, Alleges Masimo

Apple's legal battle with pulse oximetry company Masimo has been taking place over the course of the last two weeks, but we've heard little...

www.macrumors.com

 

[NT1440]

Photobucket is one of the sleaziest, worst companies to ever exist. They locked everyone's accounts and held them hostage for astronomical fees after letting everyone load up their accounts with images for free for a couple of years. They are total dirtbags.

I’d imagine this happened after a buyout or something? There’s no such thing as “free” when it comes to hosting your content. This cycle happens again and again in business.

 

[RemedyRabbit]

Given that the Mac’s user base is built solidly on digital creatives it’s gonna be interesting to see how Apple walk the tightrope of appearing to empower these users vs appearing to promote their replacement.

That said I remain convinced that truly creative people shouldn’t have anything to fear in an AI future (career wise at least lol). Users with inherent creativity will always be able to produce better content, no matter the means of production.

 

[hooptyuber]

There’s no such thing as “free” when it comes to hosting your content.

Yeah, we all know that. What Photobucket did was akin to extortion. Going from “free” to a $400 or a thousand dollars per year fee to access your photos is not ethical. They were even given an F rating by the Denver Better Business Bureau.

 

[maxoakland]

As an artist, it makes me really mad that Apple is supporting this exploitative AI grift

 

[coffeemilktea]

And just like that, Photobucket becomes relevant for the first time since 2008. 🤯

 

[Mousse]

I hope they at least eliminate the obviously stupid stock photos, especially the scientific and tech photos. Chemistry isn't about color water in erlenmeyer flasks. Any tech who holds a soldering iron like this...😰

AI is already stupid enough, but if we feed it the worst of human stupidity.

Feed the AI a lot of Hide the Pain Harold images. I can't get enough of Harold.

 

[Darren.h]

Here comes that C SPAN or whatever they call it. Mass surveillance of peoples stored images.

 

[NT1440]

Yeah, we all know that. What Photobucket did was akin to extortion. Going from “free” to a $400 or a thousand dollars per year to access your photos is not ethical. They were even given an F rating by the Denver Better Business Bureau.

And rightfully so. When did ethics become part of business? Anything driven by the profit motive will eventually screw people over.

 

[Lone Deranger]

And how much does each Photobucket uploader get per image under this "ethical deal"?

I'm guessing somewhere between zero and zilch.

 

[NufSaid]

How fun.

Take the stock images that photographers have on these platforms to sell for money to train something that is going to eliminate commercial photography.

 

[840quadra]

This is one area (images) where Apple will be at a disadvantage as compared to Google or Meta.

Apple always could start a campaign (opt in) with their users, but it would go against their privacy policy. Provide a free photo storage service for 1 - 2 TB, but notify anyone who uses this service that they are opting in for training Apple's AI.

Sadly many don't know that when they post images on FB or Instagram, they are an active member in training Meta's AI. It's smart, but also a bit disconcerting as posts, plus the metadata we add (captions or Hashtags) is helping fuel a company with (sometimes) questionable. motives.

 

[klasma]

I wonder if Apple will want a 30% cut of everything you create using their AI. Surely they won’t be giving away their hard work on AI services for free.

 

[klasma]

Apple always could start a campaign (opt in) with their users, but it would go against their privacy policy. Provide a free photo storage service for 1 - 2 TB, but notify anyone who uses this service that they are opting in for training Apple's AI.

Photos alone are useless for training AI. You need photos with reliable labeling of the contents depicted. That’s why AI-building companies go for the stock-photo services.

 

[gatorvet96]

Simple; if you don't want your photos used by big tech, don't post them online. iCloud is fine as it is encrypted. But any social media situation, it is free to mine for information.

 

[840quadra]

Photos alone are useless for training AI. You need photos with reliable labeling of the contents depicted. That’s why AI-building companies go for the stock-photo services.

I am aware of that. I didn't comment to that in the Apple portion of my post, but did on my comments to Meta.

Clearly (and perhaps I should have said this), people who opted in for free photo storage would have to provide captions, metadata or other context to the photos as well.

 

[Beautyspin]

Photobucket is one of the sleaziest, worst companies to ever exist. They locked everyone's accounts and held them hostage for astronomical fees after letting everyone load up their accounts with images for free for a couple of years. They are total dirtbags.

No wonder Apple is tying up with them

 

[Beautyspin]

This is one area (images) where Apple will be at a disadvantage as compared to Google or Meta.

Apple always could start a campaign (opt in) with their users, but it would go against their privacy policy. Provide a free photo storage service for 1 - 2 TB, but notify anyone who uses this service that they are opting in for training Apple's AI.

Sadly many don't know that when they post images on FB or Instagram, they are an active member in training Meta's AI. It's smart, but also a bit disconcerting as posts, plus the metadata we add (captions or Hashtags) is helping fuel a company with (sometimes) questionable. motives.

CSAM any one? Ironically, Apple's privacy claims were taken too seriously by its users causing an outrage resulting in its abandonment.