Adobe got blasted by the estate of Ansel Adams

The protectors of a photographer's legacy strike back

Ansel Adams-style image generated by AI that was available for purchase on Adobe Stock

Adobe Stock used the work of iconic photographer Ansel Adams (1902-1984) to produce AI-generated images marketed as Ansel Adams-style. Being copied is not new to Adams—traditional photographers have painstakingly emulated his Zone System in their own work, but they got a pass because they were inspired by the master. The result is a photographic landscape saturated with Adams-style replicas.

Adobe Stock’s collection of Ansel Adams-style AI generated images

The estate did not have a problem with his work being AI-generated. But the use of the Ansel Adams name that irked them, and they used social media to call out Adobe:

“We don’t have a problem with anyone taking inspiration from Ansel’s photography, but we strenuously object to the unauthorized use of his name to sell products of any kind, including digital products, and this includes AI-generated output.”

While less-replicated artists battle to retain copyright of their pixels, the Adams estate places more value in the name, rather than the imagery. But when a style becomes ubiquitous, how much currency does it have in opposing all the AI training engines?