The $0.61 to $1.64 Miracle: How One OpenAI Deal Just Rewrote Getty Images’ Fate

 

The $0.61 to $1.64 Miracle: How One OpenAI Deal Just Rewrote Getty Images’ Fate

**Subtitle:** *After years of suing AI companies and watching its stock collapse 55%, the visual content giant just did a 180. Here is why the ChatGPT display partnership sent shares soaring 200%—and what it means for the future of licensed content in the age of generative AI.*

**Reading Time:** 8 Minutes | **Category:** Business & Technology

## Introduction: The "Forgotten" Stock That Just Exploded

At the end of last week, Getty Images was in trouble. The stock had shed roughly 55% of its value over the course of 2026, closing Friday at a mere 61 cents a share [0†L6-L8][5†L19-L20]. Investors had all but written off the visual content giant, fearing that the rise of generative AI would make its massive library of licensed photographs, illustrations, and videos obsolete.

Then, on Sunday evening, everything changed.

Getty Images announced a multi-year display partnership with OpenAI that will bring its licensed content libraries into ChatGPT’s search and discovery features [9†L3-L5][1†L5-L6]. The agreement enables the use of Getty’s content for display within ChatGPT, "enhancing the richness of visual responses" [9†L10-L11].

The market reacted with explosive force. Getty shares soared as much as **200% in premarket trading** on Monday, briefly touching $1.35 to $1.64 before settling at a gain of more than 120% [0†L5][6†L22-L23][10†L6]. For a stock that was trading at 61 cents on Friday, that is nothing short of a miracle.

But this is not just a story about a stock rebound. It is a story about the changing relationship between the creative industries and artificial intelligence. It is a story about how Getty Images—which once sued an AI company for copyright infringement—has now partnered with the world’s most prominent AI company. And it is a story about what happens when high-quality, licensed content becomes the currency of trust in an age of AI-generated misinformation.

> **The Bottom Line Up Front:** Getty Images’ stock surged up to 200% after announcing a multi-year display partnership with OpenAI that will bring its licensed content libraries into ChatGPT. The deal marks a dramatic reversal for the visual content company, which had previously sued AI developers and banned AI-generated art from its platform. While financial terms were not disclosed, the market’s reaction signals that investors see real value in Getty’s vast, trusted library of human-created visual content—and in the licensing deals that make AI companies pay for what they use.

## Part 1: The 180-Degree Turn—From Lawsuit to Partnership

To understand the significance of this deal, you have to understand Getty’s complicated history with AI.

### The Stability AI Lawsuit

In January 2023, Getty Images sued Stability AI, the creators of the popular AI image generation tool Stable Diffusion, alleging copyright infringement [6†L26-L28]. The suit came after several users noticed that some of Stable Diffusion’s generated images displayed a recreation of Getty’s watermark—a potential sign that the model had been trained extensively on Getty’s library [6†L28-L31].

At the time, Getty said: "It is Getty Images’ position that Stability AI unlawfully copied and processed millions of images protected by copyright" [6†L32-L33]. The company also banned AI-generated art from its platform in September 2022 [5†L21-L22]. It was a clear message: Getty would not allow its content to be used to train AI models without permission.

### The Lawsuit’s Dismissal

That legal action was ultimately dismissed late last year [5†L23-L24][7†L22-L23]. But the damage to Getty’s reputation—and its stock—had already been done. Investors feared that AI companies would simply train their models on Getty’s images without paying, rendering Getty’s business model obsolete.

### The Perplexity Precedent

Getty began to change its approach in October 2025 by making a licensing deal with Perplexity AI [5†L28-L30][7†L27-L28]. Perplexity could use Getty’s library as long as image credits and source links were included with any content shown.

The OpenAI agreement is similar, but the details about image crediting have not been shared [5†L30-L31][7†L29-L30].

### The OpenAI Deal

On Sunday, June 21, 2026, Getty announced a multi-year display agreement with OpenAI [9†L3-L4]. Under the partnership, Getty’s licensed content libraries will appear across OpenAI search and discovery experiences within ChatGPT [1†L8-L10]. The agreement enables the use of Getty’s content for display within ChatGPT, enhancing the richness of visual responses [9†L10-L11].

“High-quality, licensed visual content makes AI-powered search and discovery more useful and more trustworthy,” Getty Images CEO Craig Peters said in a statement [5†L14-L16][9†L12-L13]. “This partnership with OpenAI reflects a shared recognition of that, and together we will deliver richer visual experiences to ChatGPT users” [9†L13-L14].

| Getty Images vs. AI | Key Date | Outcome |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| **Ban on AI-generated art** | September 2022 | Still in effect |

| **Lawsuit against Stability AI** | January 2023 | Dismissed late 2025 |

| **Perplexity AI licensing deal** | October 2025 | Getty content appears in Perplexity |

| **OpenAI display partnership** | June 2026 | Getty content appears in ChatGPT |

*Sources: Yahoo Finance, Forbes, Engadget, Getty Newsroom*

## Part 2: What the Deal Actually Does—Display, Not Training

One of the most important aspects of the deal is what it does **not** include.

### A "Display" Agreement

The agreement is a **display partnership**, not a training deal [9†L7-L8][6†L13-L14]. Getty’s licensed images will appear in ChatGPT’s search and discovery features, providing visual responses to user queries [1†L8-L10]. This means that when a user asks ChatGPT a question that benefits from a visual answer, Getty’s images may appear alongside the text response.

### The Training Question

Notably, both companies stayed silent on the question of whether Getty’s content might feed into future OpenAI model training [0†L17-L19][5†L11-L12]. The announcement did not mention any financial terms or say if OpenAI will be allowed to use these images to train its generative AI models [6†L18-L19].

This is a critical distinction. A **display** deal is a licensing agreement for *output*—the images appear in ChatGPT’s responses. A **training** deal would allow OpenAI to use Getty’s images to *build* its models. Getty’s previous lawsuit against Stability AI was precisely about training without permission.

By keeping the deal focused on display, Getty is protecting the core value of its library while still benefiting from the AI boom.

### The User Experience

For ChatGPT users, the deal means more visual richness in responses. Instead of just text, users may see licensed photographs, illustrations, and videos from Getty’s vast library. This could make ChatGPT a more powerful research and discovery tool.

### The Potential for Attribution

One unresolved question is whether the images will include proper attribution and source links [5†L30-L31]. Getty’s deal with Perplexity AI required image credits and source links [5†L29-L30]. The OpenAI agreement may include similar provisions, but details have not been shared.

**The Human Touch:** For the photographer whose work appears in a ChatGPT response, the deal offers something valuable: visibility. Getty works with nearly 600,000 content creators and covers more than 160,000 news, sports, and entertainment events each year [5†L37-L38][7†L35-L37]. A display deal means their work reaches a new audience—and Getty gets paid for it.

## Part 3: The Market Reaction—Why 200% Gains Are Justified

The stock market’s reaction was explosive, but was it rational?

### The "Penny Stock" Reality

Before Monday’s surge, Getty’s stock was trading at just 61 cents [0†L7-L8][5†L20]. It had lost 55% of its value over the course of the year [5†L19]. Investors had priced in the worst-case scenario: that AI would make Getty’s business obsolete.

The OpenAI deal changes that narrative. It signals that AI companies **need** high-quality, licensed content to make their products trustworthy. And Getty is one of the few companies that has that content in scale.

### The Valuation Context

At $1.35 to $1.64 per share, Getty’s market capitalization is still modest compared to its revenue and content library. The company reported first-quarter sales that missed expectations [8†L17-L18], and it is still waiting for approval to buy rival Shutterstock Inc. in a $3.7 billion deal [5†L39-L40][8†L19].

But the deal opens up new revenue streams. Getty is now a supplier to the world’s most prominent AI company. That has value.

### The Perplexity Precedent

Getty’s deal with Perplexity AI in October 2025 was the first signal that the company was open to licensing its content to AI companies [5†L28-L29]. That deal did not cause a 200% stock surge. The OpenAI deal did. Why? Because OpenAI is the market leader. A deal with OpenAI is a validation of Getty’s business model.

### The Broader Licensing Trend

OpenAI has been building out licensing relationships with media and content companies as it expands ChatGPT into new areas including advertising [5†L32-L33][7†L31-L32]. The Getty deal fits into a broader pattern: AI companies are realizing that they need permission to use the content that trains and enriches their models.

| Getty Stock Performance | Price | Change |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| **Friday, June 19, 2026** | $0.61 | — |

| **Pre-market Monday, June 22** | $1.64 | +171% |

| **Post-surge settle** | ~$1.35 | +123% |

*Sources: Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, NDTV Profit*

## Part 4: What This Means for Creators—A Shift in Power

For photographers, illustrators, and other visual content creators, the Getty-OpenAI deal is a significant moment.

### The "Opt-Out" Question

It is unclear if all photo submissions made to Getty, both editorial and stock images, will be covered by the deal or if photographers will have the option to opt out [6†L19-L21]. This is a critical question for creators who may not want their work appearing in ChatGPT responses.

Getty has not provided details on how individual creators will be compensated or whether they can exclude their content from the deal.

### The "Trust" Premium

Getty CEO Craig Peters framed the deal around trust: "High-quality, licensed visual content makes AI-powered search and discovery more useful and more trustworthy" [5†L14-L16][9†L12-L13].

This is the key insight. In an age of AI-generated misinformation, licensed content from trusted sources becomes more valuable, not less. Getty’s library is verified, curated, and licensed. That gives it a "trust premium" that AI-generated images cannot match.

### The Creator’s Dilemma

For individual creators, the deal is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it validates the value of their work. On the other hand, it raises questions about control and compensation.

Getty works with nearly 600,000 content creators and almost 360 content partners [9†L22-L23]. Those creators will be watching closely to see how the deal affects their royalties and their rights.

**The Human Touch:** For the freelance photographer who has spent years building a portfolio on Getty, the deal is validation. Their work is being used by the world’s most advanced AI company. But they also want to know: will they be fairly compensated? And will they have a say in how their images are used?

## Part 5: What This Means for the AI Industry—A New Era of Licensing

The Getty-OpenAI deal is a signal that the AI industry is entering a new phase: the licensing phase.

### The Training Data Problem

AI companies have long been criticized for training their models on copyrighted content without permission. Getty’s lawsuit against Stability AI was one of the most prominent examples [6†L26-L28]. That lawsuit was dismissed [5†L23-L24], but the underlying legal questions remain unresolved.

### The Licensing Solution

By signing licensing deals with content owners, AI companies can preempt legal challenges and build trust with creators. OpenAI’s deal with Getty is part of a broader trend: OpenAI has been building out licensing relationships with media and content companies [5†L32-L33].

### The Trust Imperative

As AI-generated content becomes more sophisticated, the ability to distinguish between AI-generated and human-created content will become more important. Getty’s licensed content provides a reliable, trustworthy source of visual information.

### The Advertising Expansion

OpenAI opened its self-serve Ads Manager to all U.S. businesses earlier this year, broadening a platform that had previously required a minimum $50,000 commitment [5†L33-L36]. The Getty deal could be a step toward making ChatGPT a more visually rich advertising platform.

**The Human Touch:** For the AI industry, the Getty deal is a template. It shows that AI companies can work with content creators rather than against them. It shows that licensing is a viable business model. And it shows that trust is a competitive advantage.

## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

**Q: What did Getty Images and OpenAI announce?**

A: Getty Images and OpenAI announced a **multi-year display partnership** that will bring Getty’s licensed content libraries into ChatGPT’s search and discovery features [9†L3-L5]. The agreement enables the use of Getty’s content for display within ChatGPT, enhancing the richness of visual responses [9†L10-L11].

**Q: How much did Getty Images stock jump?**

A: Getty shares soared as much as **200% in premarket trading** on Monday, reaching $1.64 per share before settling at a gain of more than 120% [0†L5][6†L22-L23][10†L6].

**Q: Why did the stock jump so much?**

A: The stock jumped because the deal signaled that Getty’s vast library of licensed content has real value in the AI era. Investors had feared that AI would make Getty’s business obsolete; the deal shows that AI companies actually need high-quality, licensed content [8†L10-L11].

**Q: Will OpenAI use Getty’s images to train its AI models?**

A: The announcement did not mention training [0†L17-L19][6†L18-L19]. The deal is a **display partnership**, meaning Getty’s images will appear in ChatGPT responses. Whether the images will be used for training is unclear.

**Q: Did Getty Images sue an AI company before?**

A: Yes. In January 2023, Getty sued Stability AI, the creators of Stable Diffusion, alleging copyright infringement [6†L26-L28]. The lawsuit was ultimately dismissed late last year [5†L23-L24].

**Q: What does the deal mean for photographers and creators?**

A: The deal means Getty’s content will reach a wider audience through ChatGPT [9†L10-L11]. However, it is unclear if individual creators will have the option to opt out [6†L19-L21].

**Q: Will images include attribution and source links?**

A: Getty’s deal with Perplexity AI required image credits and source links [5†L29-L30]. The OpenAI agreement may include similar provisions, but details have not been shared [5†L30-L31].

**Q: Is Getty Images still acquiring Shutterstock?**

A: Yes. Regulators have yet to sign off on Getty’s pending $3.7 billion deal to acquire competitor Shutterstock [5†L39-L40][8†L19].

**Q: What did Getty’s CEO say about the deal?**

A: “High-quality, licensed visual content makes AI-powered search and discovery more useful and more trustworthy,” Getty Images CEO Craig Peters said. “This partnership with OpenAI reflects a shared recognition of that” [5†L14-L16][9†L12-L14].

**Q: What does this mean for the future of AI and content licensing?**

A: The deal signals that AI companies are entering a licensing phase. Instead of training on copyrighted content without permission, AI companies may increasingly license content from trusted sources [5†L32-L33].

## Conclusion: The Trust Premium

We started this article with a number: **61 cents**. That was Getty’s stock price on Friday—a penny stock, a forgotten company, a relic of the pre-AI era.

We end with a different number: **$1.64**. That was Getty’s stock price in pre-market trading on Monday—a 171% surge that validated a decade of content creation and a year of strategic pivots.

The Getty-OpenAI deal is not just about one company’s stock price. It is about the value of trust in an age of AI-generated misinformation. It is about the realization that AI companies need high-quality, licensed content to make their products credible. And it is about the shift from a legal battle to a licensing partnership.

**For the Investor:**

The deal is a reminder that content companies with large, trusted libraries have value in the AI era. The market’s reaction suggests that investors are willing to pay for that value.

**For the Creator:**

The deal is a validation of your work. But it also raises questions about control and compensation. Watch closely to see how Getty handles the details.

**For the AI Industry:**

The deal is a template. It shows that licensing is a viable business model and that trust is a competitive advantage.

**The Bottom Line:**

Getty Images’ stock surged up to 200% after announcing a multi-year display partnership with OpenAI that will bring its licensed content libraries into ChatGPT. The deal marks a dramatic reversal for Getty, which had previously sued AI developers and banned AI-generated art. Financial terms were not disclosed, and it is unclear whether Getty’s images will be used to train future OpenAI models. But the market’s reaction signals that investors see real value in Getty’s vast, trusted library of human-created visual content—and in the licensing deals that make AI companies pay for what they use.

The trust premium is real. And Getty Images just collected it.

---

**#GettyImages #OpenAI #ChatGPT #StockMarket #AI #Licensing #Content #Photography #Investing #GenerativeAI**

-read more--

*Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice. Stock prices are volatile; past performance does not guarantee future results. Always consult a licensed professional before making investment decisions.*