Did you know that around 34 million AI-generated images are created every day in 2024? With the rise of AI platforms that make art creation easier than ever, many creators are now looking at how to sell these digital artworks and turn them into a passive income source.

But there are important questions to consider: Can you legally sell AI-generated art? What are the risks and ethical issues involved? And which types of AI art are most likely to attract buyers?

In this blog, we’ll tackle these questions and provide you with the information you need to effectively monetize your AI art.

What is AI Generated Art?

AI-generated art involves creating artworks through artificial intelligence algorithms. These algorithms study large datasets of existing art to understand different patterns and styles, which they use to produce new, unique images.

The process leverages techniques like machine learning, neural networks, and generative adversarial networks (GANs) to generate creative and original pieces.

Want to learn more about AI Generated Art? Here is a detailed guide for you.

Legal Considerations for Using and Selling AI-Generated Images

Understanding the legal aspects of AI-generated art can be confusing. If you’re selling art created with AI, it’s important to understand your legal rights and responsibilities. Here are some key points to consider:

Copyright Ownership

Typically, the person who creates the artwork owns the copyright. But with AI-generated art, it’s not always clear who the "creator" is. Is it the person who used the AI, or the AI itself? It’s important to clarify who owns the rights before you start selling your AI-generated art.

License Agreement

When using an AI tool to produce your art, read the tool’s license agreement very carefully. The reason for that is that some license agreements specifically state that the AI platform or software owns the art produced by it. Thus, under such an agreement if you use an AI art tool you might be unable to sell it.

However, with ModelsLab, be confident that copyright to all your AI-generated images is reserved for you. Start your free trial today!

Infringement Risks

AI can sometimes create art that looks similar to existing works. If the AI accidentally copies someone else's copyrighted art, you could face legal issues. To avoid this, use original data for training your AI and review your art for similarities with existing works.

Artist’s Rights

Even if you’re using AI, you still have rights as the artist. These include the right to control how your art is used and to be credited properly. Make sure you protect your reputation and maintain your rights related to your AI-generated creations.

Understanding these aspects will help you navigate the legal landscape of selling AI art and protect your work effectively.

Practical Steps to Selling AI-Generated Art

Here’s a breakdown of the practical steps to successfully sell AI-generated art:

Understand the Legal Landscape

Find out who owns the rights to your AI-generated art. This could be you, the developer of the AI tool you used, or potentially the AI itself. The rules vary by region and are still developing, so it's important to stay updated.

Check the licensing agreements of any AI platforms you use. Some platforms might claim rights over the content created with their tools, which could affect your ability to sell your art. Make sure the data used to train the AI doesn’t infringe on copyrights. Avoid using datasets without permission and obtain proper licenses for any training data when possible.

Prepare Your AI Art for Sale

Use different AI tools and prompts to create distinctive pieces. Aim for originality and avoid replicating existing art. Keep records of the prompts you used, the AI tools involved, and any modifications you made. This documentation supports your role as the artist and helps establish your claim to the work.

Enhance the AI-generated art with your artistic input. This makes the work more unique and reinforces your role as the creator. Use watermarks, digital signatures, and metadata to identify your art and ensure proper attribution. This helps protect your work from unauthorized use.

Choose Selling Platforms

Etsy, Society6, or Redbubble allow you to sell prints, merchandise, and digital art. You could sell AI art as NFTs on OpenSea or Nifty Gateway.

NFTs provide a way to sell unique digital art with proof of authenticity. Set up an online store on your website to sell directly to customers. This gives you more control and can offer better profit margins.

Market Your AI Art

Share your creative process with other artists to create a sense of connection or community. Use social media to interact with more artists or even create a Facebook group where you can discuss your art with other artists.

Create a sense of scarcity by offering a limited number of each piece. This can increase demand and make your art more valuable. Add extra content like tutorials, behind-the-scenes videos, or artist commentary. This offers buyers more value and can enhance their connection to your work.

By following these steps, you can navigate the legal and practical aspects of selling AI-generated art and effectively market your creations. Stay informed about changes in the legal and market landscape to adapt and succeed.

5 Ways to Sell AI-Generated Art

Here are different ways to sell your AI-Generated Art:

Sell custom products with your AI artwork

Turn your art into money selling t-shirts, hoodies, and hats. You can also promote your art brand while earning easy money. There are dozens of platforms where you can create unique custom products with your digital art. Sell tote bags, phone cases, or wall art, no upfront cost, production, and shipping taken care of. Sell to anyone in the world!

Sell Digital Art

Selling AI-generated art online helps you connect directly with your audience. Make sure to showcase your artwork in high-resolution formats like JPEG or PNG for clear display on different devices. Include detailed descriptions about how the art was created and its technical details.

Choose platforms like Artsi or AI Art Shop, which cater specifically to digital art enthusiasts, and use social media to market your work and attract buyers.

Sell Your AI Images to Stock Photo Sites

Stock photo sites like Adobe Stock and Shutterstock offer a passive income opportunity by selling your AI-generated images. Make sure your images meet each site's quality and resolution requirements.

Research current trends to align your work with what’s popular, and optimize your images with relevant keywords for better visibility. Offering a variety of styles can attract a broader audience, and platforms like Wirestock can help distribute your art to multiple marketplaces, increasing exposure.

License Your Art

A reasonable idea is to earn passive income by licensing your art created by AI. A legal licensing agreement identifies you as the copyright holder and a figure of authority. It includes rights-managed licensing to help you set terms and prices.

If you prefer, create a model of the so-called royalty-free license, where a license is purchased on a one-time charge basis.

Identify potential buyers, such as brands or advertising firms, and set appropriate pricing based on the use and audience size. Draft a clear licensing agreement to protect your rights and market your offer through social media and art networks.

Create and Sell NFTs

Turn the AI-generated paintings into NFTs and establish them as digital assets, capable of getting you paid. For this, upload your piece to an NFT marketplace, which will mint it to a blockchain. Such a procedure may cost differently, based on whether you are new to the market or up to the competition, so check relevant pieces for reference.

Start Creating High-Quality AI Art with ModelsLab

Ready to start selling AI-generated art? ModelsLab is here to help! It’s a great tool for making high-quality images, and you get full ownership of your creations. This means you can use your art for anything you want, whether it’s for selling or personal use.

Why wait? Try ModelsLab today for free and see how easy it is to generate amazing art. Whether you’re looking to sell prints, create custom merchandise, or explore new ways to monetize your art, ModelsLab has got you covered.

Start creating and start selling with confidence, knowing you have full control over your art.