VSCO company branding illustrating the vsco ai training policy covering outside AI vendors and submitted photos.

VSCO Says Outside AI Vendors Also Agreed Not to Train on Submitted Photos

2026-11-14

Photographers already worry about strangers reposting their work without permission. Now many have a second concern: that their pictures could end up teaching generative AI systems how to make new images. VSCO has responded with a revised content policy that rules out using member photographs for that purpose, a clear commitment that covers every member.

The commitment covers every account. Free and paid members are both protected.

A firmer vsco ai training policy on generative AI

In a message to photographers, CEO Eric Wittman said VSCO does not use public or private user content to train generative AI models. The revised Creator Content Standards spell out that position and separate it from the AI tools the company already runs.

Generative AI already causes friction in photography circles beyond platform policies. Nikon Disqualifies Winning Video Over Generative AI Use shows how strictly some competition organizers now police it.

The company also says its outside AI providers have agreed not to train generative models on content submitted through VSCO services. That promise reaches beyond VSCO’s own systems to the third-party vendors that power some of its features.

Wittman said the earlier version of the standards was too broad to make the company’s position clear. The new wording is meant to close that gap and show photographers exactly how their work is handled.

Bearded man in glasses editing a photo on a laptop beside a Fujifilm camera. — Bearded man in black shirt and glasses editing vintage twin-lens reflex camera photo on laptop, white desk with Fujifilm mirrorless camera, potted green plant, stacked books, minimal photographer workspace over shoulder view.

Two kinds of AI

The policy turns on a distinction between generative AI and other machine learning. Generative systems produce new photographs, videos, or other media. Non-generative tools analyze, sort, or assist with existing material.

VSCO says it uses machine learning and non-generative AI across the platform. These tools help photographers find work, discover other people on the service, and edit images.

That difference matters. An AI feature on a photography platform does not, by itself, mean member images are feeding a model that generates pictures. Under this policy, VSCO says it plans to keep building AI-powered tools while keeping submitted content out of generative training.

VSCO did not publish a detailed list of the specific machine learning systems or features the announcement covers. Photographers who care about vsco photo training and need the exact language should read the updated Creator Content Standards directly.

Why the policy arrives now

The announcement lands during a broader argument about whether artists’ work should be used to build generative AI systems. Many artists object to having their portfolios collected and used to train models that can produce images in similar styles and on similar subjects.

Wittman framed the update as part of VSCO’s commitment to photographers. He said the company’s job is to help creators earn a living from their work, not to supply raw material for systems that generate new content.

Questions about how tech companies handle creators’ work reach well beyond photo sharing. Apple’s AI Dilemma: Innovation Versus Ethics examines the same tension between building AI features and respecting the people whose work feeds them.

The statement gives photographers a clear public position on the company’s AI training stance. The full terms governing submitted work still sit in the updated standards, so that document remains the one to check.

For photographers choosing where to publish, the key question now goes beyond how a platform displays an image. It also includes what the platform may do with that image after upload.

H/T diyphotography.net

Frequently asked questions

Does VSCO use member photos to train generative AI models?

No. VSCO CEO Eric Wittman said the company does not use public or private user content to train generative AI models. The revised Creator Content Standards spell out this position.

Do free and paid VSCO members both get the training protection?

Yes. The commitment covers every account, and both free and paid members are protected from having their photos used to train generative AI.

Do VSCO’s outside AI vendors also agree not to train on photos?

Yes. VSCO says its outside AI providers have agreed not to train generative models on content submitted through VSCO services, which extends the promise to third-party vendors that power some of its features.

What is the difference between generative AI and other AI at VSCO?

Generative AI produces new photographs, videos, or other media, while non-generative tools analyze, sort, or assist with existing material. VSCO says it uses non-generative AI and machine learning to help photographers find work, discover people, and edit images.