Can AI generate stock-photo-quality images of any subject ?

Getty, Shutterstock and Adobe Stock all rolled out generative tools — partly because their market was being eaten alive by Stable Diffusion users.

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Current AI systems are capable of generating high-quality images of various subjects, often referred to as deepfakes or synthetically generated images. These images can be nearly indistinguishable from real photographs, with some models able to produce stock-photo-quality images of specific subjects, such as portraits or landscapes. However, generating images of any subject with complete accuracy and photorealism remains a challenging task, as it requires a vast amount of training data and complex algorithms. The field of image synthesis is rapidly evolving, with new models and techniques being developed to improve the quality and versatility of generated images.

— Enriched May 9, 2026 · Source: MIT Technology Review — https://www.technologyreview.com