Another day, another AI deal. Shutterstock’s just handed over the keys to its video treasure chest to Synthesia, a UK-based AI whiz kid specializing in corporate avatars. The goal? To supercharge Synthesia’s EXPRESS-2 model with a hefty dose of human-like nuances. Think body language, tone, and those oh-so-subtle desk quirks. 
Here’s the twist: While Synthesia usually ropes in actors for avatar creation (with a three-year likeness lease), this deal’s all about the silent stars of Shutterstock’s videos. No, your face won’t be the next office training video star, but your movements? Fair game for AI training. 
The bigger picture? It’s part of a growing trend where content libraries become AI training grounds. Shutterstock’s no stranger here, having previously partnered with OpenAI for DALL-E 2’s stock image adventures. But as these deals multiply, so do the questions about creator rights and compensation. A story we’ve seen unfold with giants like Time and Reuters jumping on the AI bandwagon. 
