AI Image Generators vs Stock Photos: What Favors Marketing?

To succeed in promoting and selling products, marketers are now torn between using AI-generated images or stock photos in ads and product descriptions. While some professionals prefer novelty and lean toward the former, others can’t be convinced by AI—at least when it comes to image creation—and stick to photos taken by humans.

The truth is somewhere in the middle. While AI has become helpful for marketing purposes, it can’t fully replace stock photography. Neither can stock photos remain as efficient as they once were, especially in isolation, since the digital landscape has changed and modern challenges require new, well-thought-out solutions. Read on to explore the strengths and weaknesses of AI-generated images and stock photos, with practical tips to incorporate both into your marketing strategy.

Defining AI-generated images and stock photos

Image generators powered by AI use sophisticated algorithms, machine learning techniques, and vision recognition tools to produce pictures from textual descriptions or visual references. By engineering a prompt that explains the composition, style, and physical elements, you get an image that best aligns with the tool’s dataset. The market offers a wide range of tools, each with unique features, and VistaCreate’s AI Image Generator is among the leading ones. Unlike most platforms, it’s integrated into a graphic design editor, where users can drag and drop creative assets and enhance them using a feature-rich dashboard.

VistaCreate AI Image Generator offers an easy-to-use interface and functionalities so anyone can work with it confidently—whether marketing newbies, small business managers, or experienced C-Suite representatives. Use the platform to generate commercial images alone, or collaborate with team members to erase backgrounds, refine designs, and schedule social media publications—all in one app.

Stock photos, in turn, are professionally shot images available for licensing. Photobanks provide vast libraries of high-quality visuals for various purposes, depending on their terms of use. Such platforms stand out for consistency and professionalism, as an alternative to staged photos. For companies, stock photos are an effective addition to the content marketing mix, enhancing credibility and brand image.

FAQ: What’s better for content creation—AI images or stock photos?

Both have merits, and their effectiveness depends on context, engagement metrics, campaign goals, SEO impact, and channel-specific performance. Take the best of both worlds: use AI tools for creative iteration, repurposing, and quick visuals, while relying on stock photos for trusted, professional, brand-building imagery. Always analyze performance data, checking conversions and click-through rates. This will help guide your future visual strategy and determine the right balance between AI-generated images and stock photos.

2 areas where AI-generated images stand out

#1 - Targeted social media ads

One of the strongest arguments favoring AI-generated images is that they can be produced quickly. Statistics show that over 15 billion images were created in just one year, with 80% coming from open-source platforms. This demonstrates the adoption and scale of AI-generated images, which continue to grow each year.

In practice, this means more social media ads that can be distributed across multiple targeted audiences and groups of various ages, interests, behaviors, and preferences. Importantly, it’s not just quality that matters. Sometimes speed plays an even bigger role. AI images can address the need to roll out an ad fast—perfect for a sudden seasonal discount or stock clearance.

#2 - Branding expansion

Besides speed, AI-generated images—though not always perfect in quality or licensing compared to stock photos—help brands draw attention and support recognition. In a digital space where companies compete for customers’ attention, a vibrant visual can play a huge role in brand expansion. Well-placed AI visuals in the proper format help you engage users at the perfect moment and deliver your message, whether it’s a big sale or a new product release.

2 areas where stock photography shines

#1 - Strategic partnerships

In some areas, AI images aren’t quite suitable, such as strategic partnerships. Stock photos are ideal for co-branded campaigns because they are: A) high quality and B) align with both brands’ identities. Besides reflecting core values and resembling both companies' products or services, stock photos are the best compromise between staged images and AI-generated visuals in terms of resources invested. Plus, they enhance the marketing mix. Imagine a high-priority omnichannel campaign stretched over time: stock photos can lead, supported by a BTS video and a powerful text.

#2 - Product rollouts

Stock photography remains reliable despite AI growth. Another area where stock content holds a firm position is product launch materials. Stock photos ensure consistency and professionalism, serving as strong supporting images in product descriptions. With hundreds of millions of photos available on websites like DepositPhotos, you’re almost guaranteed to find a suitable asset. Such visuals complement product photographs, enabling users to visualize the product effectively.

FAQ: Can AI replace stock photography?

Opinions are divided. While some say yes, others strongly disagree. The reality is that AI cannot fully replace stock photography. It offers customization and speed, but stock photos provide consistency, professionalism, and clear licensing. While AI images are fast and flexible, they’re not photography in the classic sense and should be treated as photorealistic depictions rather than actual photos, as recent research notes.

5 tips to integrate AI-generated visuals for successful business use

1. Keep brand guidelines in mind: Ensure outputs match your brand’s colors, fonts, tone, and visual style.
2. Craft purpose-driven prompts: Write clear, detailed prompts with campaign objectives, audience segments, and desired emotions.
3. Integrate with professional assets: Combine AI-generated visuals with licensed stock photography or custom graphics for originality.
4. Check licensing and usage rights: Unless you use VistaCreate AI Image Generator, review AI image copyright and licensing to ensure you have clear commercial rights.
5. Use AI for ideation: AI can spark ideas for styles, compositions, or concepts—even if you don’t adopt them as final assets.

Bottom line

There shouldn’t be a question of whether AI or stock is better for content creation—it’s not about replacing one with the other. It’s about using both mindfully. AI gives marketers speed, versatility, and endless experimentation, while stock photography ensures expertise, trust, and authority where it matters most. Blending the two creates a visual strategy that is adaptable yet credible, fast yet consistent. For campaigns that perform across audiences, the real win lies in balance. Don’t choose sides; leverage both.