Apple reportedly paid up to $50 million to train its iPhone AI tech on Shutterstock's photos

Amid ongoing rumors that Apple is getting ready to unveil some big new artificial intelligence technologies as part of the iOS 18 and macOS 15 software updates later this year, a new report suggests that the company has been using a popular image website as a way to train its AI.

It isn't yet clear what Apple's new AI functionality will offer, but a new Reuters report claims that Apple and other companies struck agreements with the stock image provider Shutterstock that would see them use millions of the service's images, videos, and music files as a source of training for AI. No source is given other than a person familiar with the arrangements.

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The same report claims that the companies paid between $25 million and $50 million each. Shutterstock's Chief Financial Officer Jarrod Yahes told Reuters that the big tech companies have also been joined by other, smaller ones in the past few months. However, he wouldn't comment on individual contracts for obvious reasons - including the deal with Apple.

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Apple CEO Tim Cook had previously said that his company would make waves in the world of AI in 2024, and it's thought that the iPhone and Mac will be two of the biggest beneficiaries. The new software updates are expected to be announced at the WWDC event on June 10 before being made available to developers in beta form.

If Apple follows its own tried and tested pattern we can then expect a months-long beta program before the new software updates are made available to the world in September. Updates won't only be limited to the iPhone and Mac, however. Those who own an iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, or Apple Vision Pro can also look forward to seeing new software updates with their own feature additions. There is a lot of talk about new AI features, but we can also expect more mundane improvements as well. Leaks have so far centered on those rumored AI features, but we should also expect changes to the standard Apple apps including Mail, Notes, Safari, and others.

In terms of hardware, there's a lot to look forward to in 2024. We're expecting new OLED iPad Pros with M3 chips within weeks while the updated iPad Air is expected to use older M2 chips but add a larger 12.9-inch version to the existing 11-inch model. New iPhones and Apple Watches are also likely to be announced in September, with new M4-powered Macs also a possibility.