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Admin · 2026-09-18 11:57
When Will Artificial Intelligence Replace Photographers? A Forecast by Genre Through 2040
Artificial intelligence won’t replace photographers overnight, but it will do so genre by genre. Stock photos and catalog fashion images are already largely generated by AI. Advertising campaigns will follow suit by the end of this decade, while wedding, event, and photojournalism photographers will most likely still be working after 2035. Proportfolio.lv summarizes what these predictions mean for Latvian photographers and their clients.
The Line in the Sand: Does an Image Have to Prove Something?
Generative AI is good at creating images that simply need to look good. It cannot create an image that needs to prove that something actually happened: that this couple got married, that this athlete scored a goal, or that this hotel really looks like that. The less an image has to prove, the faster the photographer is replaced by a generator.
It’s already happening: an example from the fashion retail industry
European online fashion retailer Zalando reports that in the fourth quarter of 2024, approximately 70% of its editorial campaign material was AI-generated. A company representative told Reuters that image production time has been reduced from six to eight weeks to three or four days, while costs have fallen by 90%. During 2025, the share of AI-generated product content at the company rose from nearly zero to 90%. 
In March 2025, Sweden’s H&M announced that it had created digital twins of models in collaboration with a modeling agency. Zalando, however, emphasizes that traditional photo shoots will still be necessary.  
Forecast: In which year will AI take over more than half of the work
By “replaced,” we mean the year when more than half of paid work in this field no longer goes to photographers.
Fast track:
• Stock photos: 2026–2027 (has essentially already happened)
• Simple product photos and catalog fashion: 2027–2029
• General food and lifestyle advertising images: 2027–2029
• Corporate portraits: 2028–2030
Middle group:
• Automotive photography: 2028–2030
• Travel marketing: 2029–2032
• Advertising and fashion campaigns: 2029–2033
• Interiors and dishes from specific restaurants: 2030–2035
Slow group:
• Sports: 2030–2036
• Reporting and editorial work: after 2035, but probably never fully
• Weddings, events, and personal portraits: no earlier than 2035–2040, and even then only partially
In sports, a large part of an agency’s work could be taken over by robotic cameras and frame selection from high-resolution video. In interior, food, and event photography, the biggest threat isn’t AI-generated images, but clients who use their phones and AI processing to achieve “good enough” results on their own.
Why Authenticity Is Becoming a Currency
The more generated images there are, the more valuable verifiable authenticity becomes. Camera manufacturers are embedding C2PA-standard authenticity signatures (Content Credentials) into their cameras. Leica was the first to do so in 2023 with the M11-P model, followed by Sony and Nikon, and support has also appeared in Google Pixel 10 phones. The road has not been smooth: in 2025, Nikon had to revoke Z6III certifications after a vulnerability was discovered. However, the direction is clear: in news, insurance, and brand communications, “authentic photography with proof” will most likely become a separate, better-paid category. 
What Photographers Should Do
• Shift your portfolio toward “evidential” genres: people, events, real locations.
• Build a reputation and style, because mediocrity disappears first, but a recognizable style lasts the longest.
• Use AI yourself for selection, retouching, and processing, since faster delivery is a competitive advantage.
• Offer more than just files: concepts, creative direction, and video.
• Start using authenticity signatures wherever technology allows.
What This Means for Clients
For general-purpose images, stock photography is a cheap and fast solution. However, for team portraits, events, and images of real products and spaces, a generated image can mislead clients and undermine trust. In those cases, a person with a camera is still needed.
Regarding the forecast: the years are approximate estimates prepared with the help of AI analysis, based on current industry trends. The margin of uncertainty is approximately ±2 years for the nearest dates and ±5 years or more for those further in the future.
Are you looking for a photographer for a specific event, or do you want to showcase your work to clients? Proportfolio.lv brings together Latvia's creative professionals and those who are looking for them.
The Line in the Sand: Does an Image Have to Prove Something?
Generative AI is good at creating images that simply need to look good. It cannot create an image that needs to prove that something actually happened: that this couple got married, that this athlete scored a goal, or that this hotel really looks like that. The less an image has to prove, the faster the photographer is replaced by a generator.
It’s already happening: an example from the fashion retail industry
European online fashion retailer Zalando reports that in the fourth quarter of 2024, approximately 70% of its editorial campaign material was AI-generated. A company representative told Reuters that image production time has been reduced from six to eight weeks to three or four days, while costs have fallen by 90%. During 2025, the share of AI-generated product content at the company rose from nearly zero to 90%. 
In March 2025, Sweden’s H&M announced that it had created digital twins of models in collaboration with a modeling agency. Zalando, however, emphasizes that traditional photo shoots will still be necessary.  
Forecast: In which year will AI take over more than half of the work
By “replaced,” we mean the year when more than half of paid work in this field no longer goes to photographers.
Fast track:
• Stock photos: 2026–2027 (has essentially already happened)
• Simple product photos and catalog fashion: 2027–2029
• General food and lifestyle advertising images: 2027–2029
• Corporate portraits: 2028–2030
Middle group:
• Automotive photography: 2028–2030
• Travel marketing: 2029–2032
• Advertising and fashion campaigns: 2029–2033
• Interiors and dishes from specific restaurants: 2030–2035
Slow group:
• Sports: 2030–2036
• Reporting and editorial work: after 2035, but probably never fully
• Weddings, events, and personal portraits: no earlier than 2035–2040, and even then only partially
In sports, a large part of an agency’s work could be taken over by robotic cameras and frame selection from high-resolution video. In interior, food, and event photography, the biggest threat isn’t AI-generated images, but clients who use their phones and AI processing to achieve “good enough” results on their own.
Why Authenticity Is Becoming a Currency
The more generated images there are, the more valuable verifiable authenticity becomes. Camera manufacturers are embedding C2PA-standard authenticity signatures (Content Credentials) into their cameras. Leica was the first to do so in 2023 with the M11-P model, followed by Sony and Nikon, and support has also appeared in Google Pixel 10 phones. The road has not been smooth: in 2025, Nikon had to revoke Z6III certifications after a vulnerability was discovered. However, the direction is clear: in news, insurance, and brand communications, “authentic photography with proof” will most likely become a separate, better-paid category. 
What Photographers Should Do
• Shift your portfolio toward “evidential” genres: people, events, real locations.
• Build a reputation and style, because mediocrity disappears first, but a recognizable style lasts the longest.
• Use AI yourself for selection, retouching, and processing, since faster delivery is a competitive advantage.
• Offer more than just files: concepts, creative direction, and video.
• Start using authenticity signatures wherever technology allows.
What This Means for Clients
For general-purpose images, stock photography is a cheap and fast solution. However, for team portraits, events, and images of real products and spaces, a generated image can mislead clients and undermine trust. In those cases, a person with a camera is still needed.
Regarding the forecast: the years are approximate estimates prepared with the help of AI analysis, based on current industry trends. The margin of uncertainty is approximately ±2 years for the nearest dates and ±5 years or more for those further in the future.
Are you looking for a photographer for a specific event, or do you want to showcase your work to clients? Proportfolio.lv brings together Latvia's creative professionals and those who are looking for them.
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