Getty Images Q2 2025: Unpacking Contradictions in Creative Licensing, AI Revenue, and Subscription Growth

Creative Licensing Performance, AI Licensing Revenue, Subscription Revenue Growth, Revenue Growth from Data Licensing, and Agency Challenges and Impact on Revenue are the key contradictions discussed in Getty Images' latest 2025Q2 earnings call.



Revenue and Subscription Growth:
- Getty Images reported revenue of $234.9 million for Q2 2025, with 2.5% year-on-year growth and 1.8% growth on a currency-neutral basis.
- Growth was driven by the expansion of the annual subscription business, particularly in corporate, media, and premium access offerings, while the agency business remained soft due to macroeconomic pressures.

Subscription Retention and Customer Growth:
- The annual subscription retention rate improved to 93.4%, up from 89.4% in the prior-year period and 92.7% in Q1 2025.
- This improvement was attributed to lapping the impacts of Hollywood strikes, corporate growth, and stabilization in smaller e-commerce subscriber growth rates.

Creative and Editorial Revenue Trends:
- Creative revenue declined by 5.1% year-on-year and 5.7% on a currency-neutral basis, primarily due to challenges in the agency business.
- Editorial revenue grew by 5.6% year-on-year and 4.6% on a currency-neutral basis, driven by strong demand for news and sport content.

Regional Performance and AI Integration:
- The Americas region saw currency-neutral revenue growth of 7.2%, with growth in corporate and media segments, while EMEA and APAC experienced declines.
- The integration of AI services with subscription offerings contributed to revenue growth, with AI-generated content representing over 70% of usage.