Selling AI Images: A Guide to Generating Revenue on Adobe Stock

People who can produce images with artificial intelligence can also evaluate their works through commercial licensing instead of just sharing them on social media. For example, visuals that can be used in advertising designs, blogs, presentations, websites and video projects can be prepared.

The aim of this model is not to produce as many visuals as possible, but to prepare original and usable content that customers really need.

How to get started?

1. Specify an image category.

The following categories can be considered for starters:

• Business and remote working images
• Technology, software and artificial intelligence themes
• General concepts describing health and daily life
• Education, finance and entrepreneurship illustrations
• Nature, travel and seasonal concepts
• Backgrounds that can be used in advertising designs

For example, instead of producing only general artificial intelligence portraits, it may be more meaningful to prepare visual sets specific to different sectors that small businesses can use in social media advertisements.

2. Check commercial use rights.

Adobe Stock accepts images, vectors and videos produced with artificial intelligence under certain conditions. However, the license of the artificial intelligence tool used must allow you to license the produced content commercially. The option indicating that artificial intelligence is used during sending must be selected.

3. Make images suitable for sale.

Check for anatomical errors, meaningless details, distorted objects, visual inconsistencies and technical quality before uploading. Avoid uploading many nearly identical images produced with a similar command.

An important detail: The brand watermark you use on blog covers and stock image production are not the same thing. Adobe Stock recommends not using text or signature watermarks embedded in the image in photo content created with artificial intelligence. For this reason, it is better to keep separate files prepared for stock and blog covers with ZerTuCha watermark.

Initial cost

If you have a computer and a suitable visual production tool, your additional costs may be low. However, paid artificial intelligence subscriptions, visual editing tools and time spent on production should be included in the cost calculation.

How much can you earn?

Adobe Stock's standard licensing plans have a royalty rate of 33% for photos, vectors and illustrations; For videos it is stated as 35%. These rates are applied to the net amount in the relevant licensing account, not the entire amount paid by the customer. Large volume subscription plans also include minimum royalty amounts for some of the standard content.

For example, if each of your 100 images is licensed once, your earnings will vary depending on which plan the images are licensed under. It should not be assumed that you will receive the same amount for every download.

There is no income guarantee. Images may not sell at all or sales may occur irregularly. It may take time to initially prepare a portfolio and gain visibility in search results.

Tax, risks and considerations

• Read the commercial use license of the AI tool.
• Do not imitate famous people, protected characters, trademarks or the work of others without permission.
• Do not create misleading AI images as if they were photographs documenting a real event.
• Check the platform's acceptance terms and payment requirements.
• Evaluate the tax status of income earned in Türkiye according to your type of activity.

Who is it not suitable for? It may not be suitable for people who do not want to spend time on quality control and expect income in a short time by just uploading a large number of images.