picturemaxx unveil its AI marketplace at the Visuals Conference 2026.
- May 5
- 3 min read
From April 22 to 23, 2026, the Visuals Conference powered by PICTA brought together experts from photo agencies, media companies, technology firms, and the creative industry at the Factory Hammerbrooklyn in Hamburg. Through panel discussions and presentations, it became clear that AI is already having a lasting impact on the industry and is fundamentally transforming both the way visual content is handled and the underlying business models.
picturemaxx was on site as a sponsor with a booth and a presentation. The presentation addressed some of the industry’s most pressing issues: How can copyrights be protected, content be used for AI, and fair compensation models be established at the same time?
Challenges in the imaging industry
Several presentations, including those on GenAI, licensing models, and content provenance, made it clear as early as the first day of the event that the discussion was narrowing down to two key issues: image provenance and compensation.
Today, generative AI models can create images in seconds. On the other hand, their training relies on enormous amounts of image and text data from the internet, often without compensating the actual creators.
The presentations at the Visuals Conference focused on the following questions, among others:
How can the origin and “authenticity” of content be verified?
How can copyrights be protected and fair compensation provided for their use?
What is the current legal situation in this area?
There was consensus on one point: Creatives can no longer be left empty-handed. We need new models that balance usage and compensation.
picturemaxx engages with customers and partners
On the second day, the established PICTAday, the focus was on personal interaction. picturemaxx had its own booth at the event, where our colleagues engaged in conversations with customers, partners, and new industry contacts. The focus here was on my-picturemaxx, a tool for efficient image search that is well-established in photo departments and publishing houses.
At the same time, it became clear during the discussion that issues surrounding AI, authenticity, and copyright are viewed as key challenges across all industries.
Why the demand for a marketplace is growing
A highlight of PICTAday was the presentation titled “Make them pay – the country needs new marketplaces” by our CEO Max Wieberneit and our Head of New Product Florian Kick. In their presentation, they highlighted that content is being used for AI without clear legal terms or systematic compensation arrangements, at the same time, the demand for high-quality, reliably licensed data is steadily increasing.
The clear message of the presentation was: The use of content for AI requires clear guidelines and fair compensation models. picturemaxx is ready to develop a solution for this.
Our vision is to create a marketplace for AI training data and licensable content in close collaboration with the relevant market participants. We aim to replace the previously opaque use of images and content in the context of AI with a system that transparently regulates rights, usage, and compensation.
The approach:
Fair compensation for creators, agencies, and publishers
Traceability of automated access, such as by AI bots
Clear guidelines for licensing and use
Such a marketplace is aimed at photo agencies, publishers, big tech companies, and other businesses. It brings rights holders and data users together and establishes a foundation for controlled access to high-quality content.
Conclusion
The Visuals Conference 2026 demonstrated just how intensely the industry is now debating AI, copyright, and data usage, and how urgent the need for action is.
With the proposed marketplace, picturemaxx brings a concrete approach to the discussion and demonstrates how the use, licensing, and remuneration of content can be structured in the context of AI. While such an approach does not replace regulatory clarification, it offers a concrete infrastructure as a solution.
The following video from the Visuals Conference 2026 offers a direct glimpse into the event. In it, CEO Max Wieberneit explains how the marketplace was presented on-site and the approach picturemaxx is taking. We’ve also captured some highlights from our booth and the event as a whole.
Would you like to learn more about the new marketplace or stay up to date? Please feel free to leave your contact information here: Content, AI und Marktplätze
Further information
company: www.picturemaxx.com
contact: marketing@picturemaxx.com
