Etsy Bans AI-Generated Guides and Mandates Unedited Product Photos to Combat Platform Slop

Etsy announced strict new policies governing AI-generated content to reduce the volume of misleading listings and AI-generated slop on its marketplace. Every product listing must now feature at least one completely unedited photograph of the physical item against a real background as its primary image. Sellers are strictly prohibited from using AI to generate functional guides, such as patterns, recipes, or instructions, and all automated bot listings are now banned. AI-generated art remains permitted for sale on the platform, but sellers are required to explicitly disclose its use to buyers. The platform will trigger an AI detection pop-up during the image upload process, and sellers may be held liable for refunds if shipped items are materially different from their listing photos. "Many active buyers say they can’t tell which items involve AI-generated content, [and sellers are] concerned about your work appearing alongside items that use AI in misleading ways." — Etsy