Keep up‑to‑date on iStock's latest AI features

Keep look & feel
February 2025

Create variations of a specific generation with 'Keep look & feel'

Onsite, API, Generate
“Keep look & feel” offers a new layer of control, allowing customers to maintain aspects of their original generations and make small changes using the prompt. Sometimes referred to as Fixed Seed or Seed locking, this feature preserves the overall look of the last 4 generated images while applying minor visual updates to new generations.
Create enhanced product photos using AI
November 2024

Showcasing products in studio‑quality photos using AI

Background removal, API, Generate
Users can now upload and integrate their own product shots* into any scene they can imagine, from modern studio backdrops to realistic landscapes. Clicking "Add image" in the prompt bar allows customers to upload an image of their product. Our service automatically removes the background around their product and provides controls to change the size and position of the object. The customer then provides a text prompt to generate a new background the product will be blended into to create a stunning, commercially safe product photo. 

Also available this month: Customers can now upload their own photo or illustration as a reference image to apply its color palette or composition to their next generation.

*To qualify for iStock's legal indemnification, users must own or have licensed the rights to the product image they upload. Terms of use apply.
A new subscription for endless creativity: Unlimited AI
October 2024

A new subscription for endless creativity: Unlimited AI

Generate, Modify
To help customers create without limits, we're introducing Unlimited AI, a new subscription service that offers unlimited access* to iStock's AI‑powered tools for one low monthly fee. Users will be able to generate and iterate new imagery until it matches their vision, and modify licensed iStock creative and AI‑generated images to fit any need. The new plan will replace our current 100 AI generations bundle which we will be discontinuing. 

*Daily generation limits apply. Does not include editorial images. Licensing of source image required to download modified imagery.
Prompting with a reference image
August 2024

Prompting with a reference image

On‑site, Generate
Using image‑to‑image generation, the Reference image feature helps customers achieve their vision in fewer prompts by allowing them to apply the color scheme or composition of a previously licensed iStock creative or AI‑generated image to their next generation.
One-click background removal
June 2024

One‑click background removal

On‑site, API, Modify, Creative Library
The Remove background feature allows customers to easily remove the background* of any image they've created using the AI Generator.  Once edits are complete, a user simply clicks Remove background and a version of the image is created as a final transparent PNG they can then download immediately. This addition to our suite of AI tools helps reduce the time, cost, and effort that can go into a potentially complicated editing process. 

Update: Feature now available for modifying images in the iStock creative library.

*Requires the use of one AI generation.
Updated AI model (V2 to V3)
June 2024

Updated AI model (V2 to V3)

On‑site , API, Generate , Modify, Creative Library
The third version of our AI model has been once again trained exclusively on clean iStock creative content and proprietary data. This upgraded version provides improvements to generation speed (2x faster), 4K upscaling detail, prompt adherence/relevancy, and image quality such as skin texture. The update also increases the prompt length to 512 tokens* (approximately 300 words) and provides a new set of camera controls like pitch, depth of field, and shot type.  

*Note that longer prompt length will only be available for initial prompt and not Refine/Extend prompt
Refine AI editing tool
March 2024

Refine AI editing tool

On‑site, API, Generate, Modify, Creative Library
With the new Refine feature, customers can Replace or Remove individual elements of an AI‑generated image. This is also known as “inpainting.” Users highlight an area they wish to modify using a brush tool, then provide a text prompt to guide the AI model in what to generate and place there. When downloaded, these new, commercially safe variations include the same robust legal protections and indemnification as the original.

Update: Feature now available for modifying images in the iStock creative library.

*Requires the use of one AI generation. Licensing of source image required to download modified imagery.
Extend AI editing tool
March 2024

Extend AI editing tool

On‑site, API, Generate, Modify, Creative Library
Also known as “outpainting,” the Extend feature allows customers to easily expand content beyond the edges of a previously generated image, automatically filling in new areas in context of the original image or based on a prompt from the user. The Freeform aspect ratio option allows users to select and generate additional custom image sizes.  When downloaded, these new, commercially safe variations include the same robust legal protections and indemnification as the original.

Update: Feature now available for modifying images in the iStock creative library.

*Requires the use of one AI generation. Licensing of source image required to download modified imagery.
Modify images from the creative library
March 2024

Modify images from the creative library

 On‑site , API, Modify, Creative Library
Refine, Extend, and Remove background are now available for use* on images from the iStock creative library. Customers can instantly add elements, remove backgrounds, create additional sizes, and more—no 3rd‑party photo editor required. Once edits are complete and the background removed, a user can download and license the modified image*. Also, any new AI version they create includes robust legal protections and is safe for commercial use.
 
*Each modification requires the use of one AI generation. Licensing of source image required to download modified imagery.
Generation history
February 2024

Generation history

On‑site, API
Access previous generations from the past 6 months, preview thumbnails, sort by date range, and view prompt information all in one place.
Added language Support
January 2024

Added language Support

On‑site , API, Prompts
Upgraded text prompts to support 75 languages.
Prompt Builder
January 2024

Prompt Builder

On‑site, Prompts
Added an easy‑to‑use tool that guides users in crafting better prompts for the images they want to generate. The user is asked to provide Main Subject, Action, Surroundings, Visual aesthetics, and an optional Negative prompt, then the tool converts those entries into a single prompt that can be used as input for the AI image generator. Only available via our on‑site AI Generator.