Background

Stock photography websites have been around for over 30 years, primarily catering to individuals with professional camera equipment and subjects to shoot. However, with the advent of AI, it's now possible to create fascinating images from the comfort of one's home without any specialized equipment or subjects.

AI Image Generation

• The author used MidJourney, an AI image generation tool, to generate a diverse range of images, including food, drinks, people, and mockups.
• Over the course of 90 days, the author generated and uploaded 997 images to Adobe Stock, with an additional 400 images awaiting review.

Early Progress

In the initial stages, the author faced a cap on the number of images that could be uploaded and reviewed simultaneously, leading to a slower start. However, within the first 50-100 images, they received 14 downloads, generating $8.79.

Expanding to More Stock Websites

• To increase potential earnings, the author signed up for additional stock websites such as Shutterstock, 123RF, Dreamstime, and Alamy.
• Unfortunately, some platforms like Shutterstock, Getty Images, Depositphotos, and Alamy did not accept AI-generated images.

Testing New Image Ideas

• Noticing a lack of unconventional and eye-catching images on stock websites, the author experimented with unique concepts like an electric car charger emerging from a tree.
• The goal was to offer businesses distinctive images for advertisements and websites, potentially capturing more attention and downloads.

Efficient Image Creation Process

The author streamlined the image creation process by:

• Using ChatGPT to generate prompts for batch image creation in MidJourney
• Upscaling and refining selected images using MidJourney's tools and AI image upscalers
• Utilizing ChatGPT to generate titles and keywords for stock website uploads

Final Earnings

After the 90-day challenge, the author earned a total of $33.60 from Adobe Stock. Unfortunately, there were no earnings from 123RF and Dreamstime.

Top-Selling Images

The top-selling categories on Adobe Stock included:

• Mockups
• Food images
• Solar panel-related images

Future Considerations

While the earnings were lower than expected, the author plans to monitor the performance of the uploaded images over the following months to determine if the effort is worthwhile. Additionally, the author is open to suggestions for future AI-based earning challenges from readers.