Etsy is announcing stricter rules on how AI can be used in listings to reduce the volume of AI on the platform. In a post, the company says that “many active buyers say they can’t tell which items involve AI-generated content” and that sellers are “concerned about their work appearing next to items that use AI in misleading ways,” prompting the new policies and restrictions.
Under the new policies, each listing must include “at least one unedited photo of the actual item with a real background” and all photos must “accurately represent the item the buyer will receive.” Photos other than the first ones can be edited with software or AI-powered tools, as long as “the end result remains an accurate representation of the physical product.” The company shared some examples to demonstrate the type of misleading images that are prohibited, including the cat stuffed animal at the top of this post.
When uploading images for a listing, if Etsy detects that any images may have been generated by AI, the platform will display a pop-up where you can indicate whether an image was made with AI or not, as shown in a video. If a buyer reports that what they receive is “materially different” from an advertisement, the seller may be responsible for a refund.
For sellers who offer “functional guides,” which include patterns, recipes, or instructions, Etsy says the information in those products “must be your own work, not generated by AI.” Sellers must show a “real result” prepared from a guide. The company also says listings made by bots are no longer allowed.
Selling AI-generated art is still allowed on the platform, but the seller must disclose that it was made with AI, Etsy says.
