Can You Sell AI Generated Art Online?

Selling AI-generated art online is 100% doable. AI-generated images are those which have been created by AI image generators, where the image is based upon the instructions given by the artist. It has grown in popularity with both artists and customers and has become for some a profitable eCommerce business. There are some key things you will need to consider before you get started though, and that's what we'll cover in this article.

Creating AI-Generated Images to Sell

To create AI images, you need to use an AI image generator, a type of deep learning computer architecture called a GAN. A generative adversarial network (GAN) has two jobs: one creates the image, the other compares this image against real life images and identifies what is wrong with it. The GAN therefore can train itself and get better at creating art images. There are a lot of AI image-generators available online in which you can create AI artwork, some free and some paid. Take a read of our article Using AI for Website Images for a list of generators you could use.

Copyright Issues with Selling AI Images Online

There are a couple of potential copyright issues you will need to consider first before selling your AI artwork online.

• who actually owns the AI artwork?
• is copyright something I need to check?

Choosing Types of AI Artwork to Sell

Once you have confirmed ownership, sorted any licensing agreements and checked your AI artwork for any replication of copyrighted work, you can begin selling online through a website. You have a few options regarding the type of end product you are wanting the customer to receive:

• digital download - this is one of the easiest ways of selling your AI images. On your website, you would create a shop in which you would set up each artwork as a digital product. Then you would upload a high res file of your artwork for the customer, along with a watermarked low res copy to display on the product page. When an order is placed and paid for, the customer would then receive a link from which they can download the artwork.
• giclee print - a fine art digital print produced by an inkjet printer, giclee prints are likely to be printed professionally. Depending on where you get your artwork printed, you are likely to be offered a print on demand or pre-printed options. Some printers will even post out the print directly to your customer. 
• merchandise - you could create merchandise which features your AI artwork on it. Created either in-house, on demand professionally or pre-printed, there are plenty of options to choose from. 
• licensing - you could sell a license to use your AI artwork, where you retain ownership but the customer has the rights to use the image in specific ways. 

Tips for Selling AI Generated Artwork Online

When customers buy a digital product online, they complete a very similar journey to those who purchase a physical product. The key differences would be that there is no shipping involved so no postal address is collected, and the customer receives an email which contains a link to click on to download their digital product. Otherwise, the same work is required to be completed on the website to sell AI artwork online, including:

• original and useful written content
• clear product photos
• keyword research
• website page, category and product organisation
• use of headings and meta tags
• links within your website and from other websites, including social media

If you're ready to get started with a website and sell AI generated artwork online, we've got everything you need in our free website builder! Grab yourself a free 30 day trial (no credit card required) and use our professionally designed templates to make your artwork shine!