In the past few years, AI has made significant advancements in creative fields, particularly in image generation. Do they work along with DALL·E, MidJourney and DeepArt, allowing anyone with no special artistry background to create completely stunning and unique images?
Stock platforms that offer any AI-generated content, like Shutterstock or Adobe Stock and iStock, so you may be asking yourself if you can even sell AI-generated images in the first place.
Now the eternal question: Can you sell AI generated images on stock? Yes, and this post will guide you on how to properly upload and sell those AI-created images in 2025 on the stock site.
In this guide, we will cover everything you need to know to start creating AI-generated images to make money as a stock photographer, as well as everything you need to optimize your earnings. This article will equip you with everything you need to know, whether if you are a digital artist a photographer or someone a bit green to stock photography you can begin selling your AI images now.
Fix Blurry PNG Images in Photoshop
1. Understanding AI-Generated Images for Stock Photography
To begin, you need to know what AI images are and how they differ from stock images.
Actually, AI image generation is a process in which machine learning algorithms and neural networks create images from text prompts, existing images or other input data.
They can be basic drawings, or photorealistic 4K images, or somewhere in between.
And with AI tools like OpenAI’s DALL·E and MidJourney making it possible for anyone to generate professional-level-quality images in a matter of minutes, it opens up some new doors for creators to find a way to monetize their efforts. What type of images come out will vary anywhere from digital arts, conceptual designs, to realistic renders.
While not all stock platforms accept AI-generated images and even if they do, there are some rules on which one can get entangled on to ensure that your images are sellable, and to ensure that they apply to the platforms mentioned standards.
2. Why Sell AI Images on Stock Platforms?
Selling AI-generated visuals on stock platforms can be a lucrative opportunity for a number of reasons:
1. Low Barrier to Entry:
Anyone Can Create: Thanks to AI tools, you can create eye-catching, professional quality images without the help of a prophotographer or graphic designer. It produces the real deal images when prompted and edited properly.
Low Barriers to Entry: Many AI image generation tools have free or low-cost tiers, meaning you can jump right into creation without a heavy initial investment.
Future of PNG in Interactive Digital Art
2. Passive Income:
Earn While You Sleep: Stock pics are based on a license model. After you upload your generated images, people worldwide can download and buy them, creating passive income for you.
International Reach: Websites like Shuttle Stock, Adobe Stock and iStock open your work to global audience. People, businesses, marketers, and designers seeking unique images can purchase your images from you.
3. Surging Demand for Unique and Tailored Images:
High Demand: Stock sites are constantly on the lookout for new, unique images they can sell to their clients.
With AI images, you are able to create artistic and ultra personal icons that are probably very different from the typical images and icons most people have at their disposal.
Creative Control: They also provide you extensive attribution over the creation process enabling you to create unique pictures that meet particular market requirements or trends.
3. Choosing the Right AI Tool for Image Generation
Not all AI tools are the same, and the choice of AI tool is critical for producing marketable images intended for the consumers of stock platforms. AI Image Generation Tools You Can Try OutSome of the tools for AI images generation that you can try are;
DALL·E (by OpenAI):
What It Is: DALL·E is an A.I. image generator that uses natural language processing to generate photos from a text prompt. This is particularly famous for producing quirky and surrealistic pictures.
Why Use It: Since DALL·E also creates images in realistic and artistic styles, it is more suitable for conceptual design, illustrations, and digital art. Generates a good quality image enough for stock platform.
MidJourney:
What It Is: MidJourney: This is also another very popular AI tool to generate images with high details and looks very artistic. It is widely used by digital artists looking to create unique and original designs.
Why Use It: MidJourney Shining brightness: MidJourney is great for creating beautiful and creative images, thus being a good markup to sell digital art and illustrations on stock sites.
DeepArt:
What It Is: Turn images into digs or dig works in the style of famous artists by DeepArt Upload your own images, say, and have them re-rendered in the style of Van Gogh or Picasso.
Why Use It: DeepArt is a helpful tool when you want to create such images with a pictorial effect. Images of this sort can work almost too well where they have art influences.
Runway ML:
What It Is: Runway ML is a A.I.-based creative playground to produce art with; filled with machine-learning methods for you to create visuals.
Why You Should Use It: If you are looking for a more sophisticated and upload-free AI tool, Runway ML is a suitable option that lets you generate images in real-time, complete with high-quality editing options.
4. Preparing Your AI Images for Stock Platforms
Your AI images are generated and ready — and the next step is getting them ready for stock submission.
Images need also be top notch and on more popular themes to be accepted for sale on the platform as all the platforms set their own bar. That being said, here is how you can prepare your AI visuals so they succeed:
1. Image Quality:
Resolution : Keep your AI images crisp and clean. While the higher the resolution the better, the lowest I recommend is 4MP as most stock platforms require this miniimum.
Images: make sure there is no blurred pictures. Don’t use blurry or pixelated images.
Need for editing: When it is created, you can then get to Photoshop or Lightroom to make smooth the image. For example, increasing brightness, contrast, or eliminating artifacts.
2. Proper File Formats:
File Formats: JPEG, PNG or TIFF files are accepted by most stock platforms. Select the file format/platform file extension you are using to save your images.
Compression: Don’t over-do your compression it leads to quality loss. Just ensure that, file sizes should light but uploadable.
3. Meta Data and Keywords:
Title & Descriptions: Use compelling titles and descriptions The title of these images should be similar to the image and relevant.
So in easy phrases, optimise the keyword in your image meta to seek out them in searches.
Think about what type of customers you have in mind to buy your images and add keywords addressing their need (Abstract design, business concept, technology, digital art etc.)
Avoid Keyword Stuffing: You do need to use keywords, but overstuffing your metadata with irrelevant keywords is not a good practice. Add in relevant, descriptive keywords that describe the contents of the image.
5. Where to Sell Your AI-Generated Images
And finally, now that your images are created and prepared, it is time to explore how to choose the best stock platforms to sell your images on. So let’s get into some of the popular stock photo sites that accept AI-generated content:
1. Shutterstock:
Pros: Being amongst the largest, most recognized stock platforms, Shutterstock provides you with a wide audience. It embraces images made through AI, provided they meet its quality standards.
The Process of Selling: You create a contributor account on the Shutterstock site, upload your image(s) and then fill in some details (title, description, keywords) about it. At Shutterstock, every entry is approved at the time of submission.
2. Adobe Stock:
131
Words
Mode:
BalancedHumanize
Output
Pros: Adobe Stock is another big site you can sell AI-generated images on. If users are already using Photoshop, Illustrator or other Adobe software, it is easy for them to access your work since it’s simply within Adobe’s toolset.
How to Sell: Sign up for a contributor account with Adobe Stock and upload images with appropriate metadata. Adobe Stock are not accepting low quality image so you want to make sure that you are sending the high quality image.
3. iStock:
Pros: As part of Getty Images, contributors do well on iStock markdowns. It also accepts images generated by AI systems.
How to Sell: Create an account (it can be finished in 5 min), upload your photos, optimize your photos with each site’s quality standards, uploading the relevant metadata. iStock review process can take a few days.
4. Alamy:
Pros: Alamy, with its broad marketplace and competitive royalties, is great for both photographers and digital artists.
How to Sell: Alamy does accept AI but there is a very clear list of what images they do accept on their website. Once your account is up and running, you can start uploading the image & Metadata.
5. Dreamstime:
Pros: Simple process to start, lower competition in comparison to stock platforms with bigger range.
How to Sell: Create an account, upload your images, and complete the metadata fields. Platform submission review for every submission.
6. Maximizing Your Earnings: Tips for Success
Selling AI images can be profitable, but it involves doing things right. These are a handful of straightforward, useful directives that may help you maximize the money you make:
Focus on High-Demand Niches:
You can use AI to generate images about almost everything, but niches with high demand (eg; business concepts, tech, abstract, nature, lifestyle) are more likely to sell.
Stay Up-to-Date with Trends:
Be mindful about upcoming design trends, and also create timely & relevant imagery. Keep track of them via social media and the blogs and tools that report on trends.
Upload Regularly:
Consistency is key. Regularly posting fresh photos will ensure that you get better exposure in front of more eyes, thus increasing your sale opportunities.
Provide Unique and Tailored Content:
Two creative formats, a range of idol-generated images. Having loads of various styles or different compositions in your niche helps you get more buyers.
Conclusion
On stock sites, selling AI-generated images is one big opportunity Creators will find in 2025. Conversion of your art into passive income consist of education about the process, choosing correct AI Tool, prepare your personal image by platform requirement and then focus on best platform to sell your works.
And if you are a photographer, upload your work & make some passive income, your stock image will keep selling long after you might have stopped selling it…
Now that creating these images has never been so straightforward with technology caught up with us, it is time to start putting your AI generations out there to market! In addition to that if you follow the processes and proceed according to the tips mentioned here, then you will have a step forward to stock photography.