Etsy has crafted a new, tougher policy on AI. The e-commerce site on Thursday said sellers can no longer offer AI-generated "functional guides" such as recipes, sewing patterns, crochet instructions, or other how-to downloads, and must show photos of real finished items rather than AI simulations, CNBC reports. Listings built entirely by bots are also out.
- At the heart of the new policy is "the trust buyers and sellers have when they shop and sell on Etsy," the company said in a blog post for sellers. "AI is threatening that trust, and we have a responsibility to protect it. Today, many active buyers say they can't tell which items involve AI-generated content. It's become a top-three barrier to shopping more often on Etsy. And you, our seller community, have told us you're concerned about your work appearing alongside items that use AI in misleading ways, and that it's becoming harder for buyers to recognise your role in creating your items."
AI-generated art can stay, but only if sellers clearly disclose how they used the technology and don't claim the work is fully handmade. The company said it believes AI "should support your creativity and craftsmanship, not replace them." Etsy said every listing must have "at least one unedited photo of the actual item against a real background," the Verge reports. Additional photos in listings can be edited with AI-powered tools, if "the final result remains an accurate representation of the physical product."
The crackdown on AI-generated patterns and similar "slop" comes as Etsy leans harder into its craft-focused identity while facing competition from Amazon, Walmart, and fast-growing platforms like TikTok and Temu, CNBC reports. "These changes are our starting point, not the finish line," Etsy told sellers. "We know there's more to address as AI evolves, along with how you use it and what buyers expect." Earlier this week, Spotify said it had pulled 50 million tracks of "AI-generated slop" from user recommendations.
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