“78% of people say they can no longer distinguish AI images from real ones”

Telephones increased the seduction that images exert. Also their consumption. Miriam Gastaldi is Getty Images’ Southern Cone director. This company is perhaps the largest library in the world, adding to its archive of 600 million photos and videos another 44 million new materials created by its global team of professionals. In dialogue with PERFIL, he talked about what the year 2025 would look like in terms of Argentinians’ interests in images of events and people.

—How many average images does Getty Images generate each year?

—More than 11 million per quarter. As experts in visual content, we document more than 160,000 events and editorial coverage worldwide

—One hundred and sixty thousand events in a year?

—Yes, and they produce millions of images. For example, the World Cup can produce more than 1.5 million images in a single month of coverage. We live in an increasingly digital age where visual content is the primary language.

—Apart from a war and the World Cup, what other global events generate the most images?

—At Getty Images, we believe the news that moves the world goes beyond just the headlines. We believe that the image is the language of our time, it transcends borders and languages, and our photojournalists are highly trained storytellers. Our team’s expert eyes document but also shine a light on lesser-seen stories, producing millions of images for audiences around the world.

—According to Getty records, which numbers attracted the most interest in Argentina?

—Some of the stories that (news) organizations tell their audiences most often have to do with football. Keywords such as “River Plate”, “Boca Juniors”, “Marcelo Gallardo”, “Messi”, “Cristiano Ronaldo” and “Lamine Yamal” were among the most searched in Argentina during the year.

—Are there characters the media loves? Are you noticing an increased consumption of photos of specific characters?

—Franco Colapinto saw a nearly 700 percent increase in searches compared to 2024, showing growing interest in the promise.

—Which of the famous Argentines, living or dead, attracted the most photographic interest?

– The death of Pope Francis in 2025 set the world agenda and he was one of the most sought-after Argentine figures worldwide, increasing demand for images by more than 600 percent year after year. He is followed by Leo Messi, who remains one of the most current and popular athletes in the world. And the third most wanted Argentine in the world was soccer player Julián Álvarez.

—Will artificial intelligence-generated images really pose a problem because they are difficult to distinguish from real images?

—According to data from our consumer surveys on our platform, 78 percent of people say they can no longer distinguish AI images from reality. This technology is a tool that promises many benefits; But it also poses risks arising from misinformation and the spread of false content. Visual accuracy and audience trust are essential. As AI technologies advance, the line between what is artificially created and what is captured on camera may be blurring. The challenge is not only technical, but also ethical: ensuring that users know what is authentic, what has been manipulated, and for what purpose.

– How do you deal with it?

—Getty Images took a clear stance: We do not accept content created by generative AI. In doing so, we reaffirm our commitment to being a source of truth. Our library of editorial and commercial content contains only images and videos captured in the real world. We are actively investing in verification processes and tools as well as increased metadata to ensure traceability.

—Has the use of Instagram images by the press affected business?

-Not at all. The more we humans interact with digital media, the greater the need for visual content. The advent of social media changed publishing processes, but it did not replace the need to produce high-quality images and videos for audiences around the world.

—Do you look at famous people’s Instagram posts to see if they post photos from their photographers?

—Many artists post images from Getty Images on social networks. In fact, the most liked picture on Instagram is the photo of Leo Messi when he won the World Cup. The photo, taken by one of our photographers, Shaun Botterill, went around the world in 2022. Another example is the actress Zoe Saldaña, who uploaded the images of our photographers after her victory at this year’s Oscars.

—Which of the Getty Archive images were most sought after?

—Each year, the archives reflect both collective memory and current context. With the loss of icons and personalities who have left us in 2025, many companies around the world are trying to honor their legacy. This year saw an increase in searches and demand for images of icons like Jane Goodall, Pope Francis and Ozzy Osbourne.

—How many photographers does Getty have? And how many men and women?

—There are about 1,700 people worldwide, including more than 115 photographers and videographers. In addition, the company works with more than six hundred content creators worldwide, 82,000 of whom produce exclusive content.

—What makes the profession of photography, particularly photojournalism, attractive?

—We believe that images have the power to make us think, feel and act. Therefore, it is important to know who creates the content, who collects it and who edits it. Those who choose this path will find a deeply meaningful career capable of changing views and preserving memories.

—Were Getty photojournalists killed while covering war conflicts in 2025?

– No, none.

(The images illustrating this interview were provided by Getty Images for print and online versions.)