Ayup! In an increasingly AI-dominated stock photography world, let’s take a moment to celebrate Unsplash. Their strictly no AI policy demonstrates incredibly strong content values. They didn’t follow suit. Nor did they surrender to the bullshit. They stood by their vision and mission. There’s a lot to be said for that these days.
We do not accept screenshots, in-game captures, composite art or content created by AI generative models.
Platform & user benefits
For many creatives, this puts Unsplash in a favourable position. They’re one of only a handful of stock platforms banning AI. Bold, wise, and most importantly, a net positive for web-based content.
From a user perspective, knowing that the library is AI-free means higher-quality, authentic images. From a platform perspective, they continue to grow an infinitely better selection of photos, 3D renders and illustrations. It’s a perpetual loop that benefits both sides.
Adobe Stock’s content library has reached a pivotal tipping point—nearly half of all images on the platform are now AI-generated. As of April 8, 2025, a staggering 47.85% of the entire image portfolio was produced by generative AI tools.
Gratitude
I, for one, am eternally grateful to Unsplash for shunning generative AI. As a contributor, I’m not sure I’d have hung around had it gone the other way. I’m still surprised it hasn’t, if I’m honest.
It’s refreshing to see companies taking a stance. Going into this with their eyes open, rather than blindly following the crowds. It occurred to me today how rare this is now, which is why I thought I’d write this blog post. Nice one, Unsplash. Keep up the great work!
If your goal is trust, realism, and fast access to a polished image, stock is often the stronger option. That is why many teams still ask when to use stock images even as AI tools become more common.