Direct buyer
Adobe Stock
Adobe trains its Firefly generative AI models on Adobe Stock content and pays eligible contributors an annual Firefly bonus at its discretion, now in its fourth year. Contributors earn royalties of 33% on photos and 35% on video. Bloomberg reported in April 2024 that Adobe was also buying video clips for about $3 per minute. Adobe offers no opt-out for Stock content.
Facts checked against Adobe Stock's own pages in November 2026. Visit Adobe Stock
At a glance
- What it buys
- Photos, video, vectors, illustrations and generative AI content on Adobe Stock, used to train Firefly. Bloomberg reported separate purchases of video clips
- Published payout
- Royalty of 33% (non-video) or 35% (video). Firefly bonus varies by contributor and is paid at Adobe's discretion
- Size requirement
- Any Adobe Stock contributor whose content was considered for training the released Firefly model
- Exclusivity
- Not published
- Fee to seller
- Not published as a fee. The $25 payout minimum drops to $1 for bonus recipients until December 17, 2026
- Payment timing
- The 2026 bonus was added to contributor balances on September 17, 2026
Key takeaways
- Adobe Stock is a direct buyer.
- What it buys: Photos, video, vectors, illustrations and generative AI content on Adobe Stock, used to train Firefly. Bloomberg reported separate purchases of video clips.
- Published payout: Royalty of 33% (non-video) or 35% (video). Firefly bonus varies by contributor and is paid at Adobe's discretion.
- Size requirement: Any Adobe Stock contributor whose content was considered for training the released Firefly model.
- Fee to seller: Not published as a fee. The $25 payout minimum drops to $1 for bonus recipients until December 17, 2026.
- Adobe Stock does not publish its exclusivity.
- Facts checked on Adobe Stock's own pages in November 2026.
How does Adobe pay contributors for Firefly training?
Adobe pays eligible Adobe Stock contributors a Firefly Contributor bonus, which its FAQ says varies by contributor and is paid at Adobe's discretion. The 2026 bonus, the fourth, was based on content considered for training between June 3, 2025 and June 2, 2026 and the licenses those assets earned, and was added to balances on September 17, 2026. Adobe says it does not offer an opt-out for Adobe Stock content, and that Stock video now trains Firefly.
What else has Adobe paid for training data?
Bloomberg reported on April 10, 2024 that Adobe was buying video clips for about $3 per minute to build an AI video model, and offering photographers and artists $120 to submit videos of people doing everyday actions and expressing emotions. Standard Adobe Stock royalties are 33% for photos, vectors and illustrations and 35% for video. Our guide to licensing video and audio covers the rights to clear first.
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Sources
- Firefly FAQ for Adobe Stock contributors, Adobe, accessed November 2026
- Royalty rates for content, Adobe, accessed November 2026
- Adobe is buying videos for $3 per minute to build AI model, Bloomberg, accessed November 2026
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Adobe Stock is listed for reference. We are independent and this page is not an endorsement. If anything here is out of date, email hello@sellmydatatoai.net and we will correct it.