Slashdot reader BrianFagioli writes: Shutterstock has unveiled what it calls a "human-led, AI-powered" creative platform that combines its massive library of [human] contributor-created content with AI image and video generation, AI editing, conversational search, prompt enhancement, and automated model selection tools. The company says the goal is to help creators move from idea to finished work faster [in a single application] while maintaining commercial licensing protections and contributor royalty payments... While Shutterstock repeatedly emphasizes human creativity, much of the platform's future appears centered on AI-generated and AI-modified content. An article at Nerds.xyz suggests Shutterstock's AI tools let users "transform existing content into something new," while noting Shutterstock's repeated references to human creativity "almost feel defensive." But it points out other companies including Adobe and Canva "and countless startups are all racing to integrate AI into creative workflows."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

"A coalition of state attorneys general has opened an investigation into OpenAI," reports the Wall Street Journal, citing "people familiar with the matter." OpenAI was served Friday with a subpoena seeking documents related to a broad range of its activities and impact on users, including advertising, user engagement and retention, handling of consumer data and health data, activities related to minors and seniors, deep learning models, model sycophancy and company policies, some of the people said. The subpoena, viewed by The Wall Street Journal, was sent by New York's attorney general.... Earlier this month, Florida became the first state to file a lawsuit against OpenAI and its chief executive, Sam Altman. The lawsuit claims OpenAI and Altman knowingly released an unsafe product and ignored warnings that it could harm users. Florida's Attorney General, James Uthmeier, opened a criminal investigation into OpenAI in April over the role its chatbot played in a mass shooting that killed two people at Florida State University last year. The suspect allegedly turned to ChatGPT as a confidant and sounding board to plan the attack, and the chatbot dispensed advice for his questions... State attorneys general have been scrutinizing OpenAI's competitors in the AI industry as well. In December, a coalition of 42 state attorneys general led by Pennsylvania's Dave Sunday sent a letter to companies including OpenAI, Meta, Anthropic, Google and xAI. In the letter, the Attorneys General demanded safeguards to protect vulnerable users from harmful interactions with chatbots, warning that "developers may be held accountable for the outputs of their GenAI products" for "encouraging an individual to commit a criminal act." "We take the concerns raised by state attorneys general seriously," OpenAI told the Journal in a statement, "and intend to engage constructively with their offices." The article also acknowledges that The Wall Street Journal's parent company "has a content-licensing partnership with OpenAI."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Removing backgrounds from images has always been one of the more time-consuming parts of photo editing. Fine hair, fur, feathers, and semi-transparent objects like glass or veils often require precise manual masking, which slows down the entire workflow.

Fortunately, recent advances in AI-powered image processing are making this task easier. One solution gaining attention among designers and photographers is Aiarty Image Matting, an AI-driven background removal tool designed to deliver precise cutouts while preserving intricate details.

Aiarty Image Matting: Precise Background Removal with AI

Aiarty Image Matting uses advanced AI algorithms to automatically detect subjects and separate them from backgrounds with minimal user input. You can batch export transparent cutouts, replace background color, or refine the matte to blend the subject with any new backgrounds.

Key advantages include:

• 1-click detection with AI for one or multiple subjects.
• Precise masking for transparent, fuzzy edges, or solid subjects.
• Preserve transparency variations in tricky edges, hair, lace, glass, etc.
• Quick auto masking and optional brush editing for refinements.
• atch export transparent cutouts, mattes, or custom backgrounds.

For product listings, portraits, custom stickers, and creative composites, Aiarty Image Matting makes background removal faster and more precise. It is particularly useful for portrait, wildlife, and commercial photographers dealing with challenging subjects that contain fine edge details.

Anniversary Offer: 43% OFF Lifetime License + Extra Saving

Aiarty is currently celebrating its anniversary with 43% OFF Aiarty Image Matting Lifetime License. For photographers and designers looking to streamline their workflow, it’s a nice chance to enjoy these benefits:

• Unlock full features and use on up to 3PCs/Macs.
• Free updates to all versions for a lifetime.
• 30-day money-back guarantee.

Besides, by entering the limited-time code “ANNIVERSARY” at checkout, you can also enjoy extra $5 OFF Aiarty Image Matting, or extra $10 OFF Bundle product purchase. The special offer ends June 21.

Below are some hands-on tests of this background remover and background replacement tool, from professional projects to family and hobbyist use cases.

Remove Backgrounds and Preserve Fine Hair, Fur, and Feathers

Traditional masking tools often require hours of manual tracing around complex edges, and they fail to preserve the natural edges in flowing hair or fuzzy fur.

AI models in Aiarty Image Matting are trained to recognize and preserve individual strands of hair, animal fur, and bird feathers, producing a clean result for both transparent output and blend in with new backgrounds.

Handle Transparent and Semi-Transparent Subjects

Glass, lace, veils, and transparent materials are notoriously difficult to mask accurately. Aiarty maintains gradual transparency values while separating the subject from the background, delivering realistic transitions.

This image background remover helps photographers maintain a professional look when working with product photography, event banners, and creative composites.

Separate Subjects from Complex Backgrounds

A complex environment often confuses traditional background remover tools, with background remnants sticking around a subject in cutouts.

To solve that, AI inference in Aiarty Image Matting helps distinguish subjects even when backgrounds contain complicated textures, branches, foliage, or overlapping elements.

Create Stickers for Journals and Creative Projects

For wildlife photographers, nature journal hobbyists, and school projects, Aiarty Image Matting makes it handy to create stickers in batches, which can be used in field journals, presentations, banners, infographics, posters, and other creative projects.

Flexible Auto Masking and Manual Refinement

Some background removal tools fall into one of two extremes: fully automatic tools that offer little control over the result, or manual masking features that require time-consuming tracing.

Aiarty Image Matting combines the strengths and flexibility of both approaches. With a single click, its AI models can auto-detect and isolate subjects, creating a high-quality mask as a strong starting point for most images.

For further refinement, it also provides editing tools to adjust masks, erase unwanted areas, or brush over to bring back details. The combination of the Mask alpha curve tool and erasing threshold is handy to handle challenging areas such as hair, fur, lace, and transparent objects.

Batch Processing for Large Projects

Editing and masking hundreds of images individually is inefficient. Aiarty supports batch processing, allowing designers and photographers to process large numbers of images automatically.

Whether handling event photography, wildlife shoots, or e-commerce catalogs, photographers can save editing time with precise masking and background removal.

Optionally, you can use the built-in 2X upscaling feature to enhance image quality, making the cutouts clear even at 4K and 8K displays.

Specialized AI Models for Different Scenarios and Subject Types

For clean cutouts and transparent PNGs, users might prefer a clear edge around the subjects. For background replacement, such as placing the person on a new canvas, a natural blend-in requires transparency transitions near the edges.

Instead of providing a one-size-fits-all tool, Aiarty Image Matting has 4 AI models optimized for different image types and masking scenarios.

Masking Model: AlphaStandard V2

It is designed for semi-transparent and translucent subjects such as wedding veils, glassware, water splashes, fine hair, and animal fur.

When you prefer to preserve natural transparency and smooth transitions, apply this model.

Masking Model: AlphaEdge V2

For those semi-transparent and translucent objects mentioned above, when you want to prioritize edge sharpness over soft transparency variations, then instead of using AlphaStandard, apply AlphaEdge.

Masking Model: EdgeClear V2

It is built for detailed solid objects such as vehicles, jewelry, sports equipment, and furniture. When you want to emphasize edge clarity while maintaining realistic detail, use this model for background removal and replacement.

Masking Model: SolidMat V2

It is trained for products and structured subjects with defined boundaries, including: buildings, consumer products, electronics, and commercial catalogs.

Besides the 4 AI models, Aiarty has an Alpha mask curve, brushes, and erasers, and more options to refine selection. With both auto masking and optional manual adjustment, it is versatile enough to tackle various subjects and scenarios, be it for semi-transparency variations, fuzzy edges, or solid subjects.

Final Thoughts

Background removal doesn’t have to be slow or tedious. With AI-powered subject isolation and optional manual refinement, Aiarty Image Matting offers photographers and designers a faster way to create clean cutouts while keeping full control over tricky edges.

For PhotoRumors readers, Aiarty Image Matting is currently available for $65 (43% off the regular price). The Lifetime License works on up to 3 Windows or Mac computers and includes free lifetime upgrades. Apply the code ANNIVERSARY at checkout to get an extra $5 off. The special offer ends June 21.

For those looking for a more creative toolkit, Aiarty also offers Anniversary bundles with image enhancement, upscaling, and video software – currently discounted up to 52%.

Learn more and grab the Anniversary offer here >

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