Is WeTransfer using your photos to train AI?

Are you using WeTransfer to send your images, videos or other creative files to clients, colleagues or even just for personal use? Millions of creatives rely on this simple file transfer service. Recently, there's been a wave of concern following changes to WeTransfer's terms and conditions, raising a key question: can WeTransfer use our uploaded content to train AI or machine learning models?

In an update to its legal terms – set to take effect in August 2025 – WeTransfer included a clause that sparked alarm. The now-deleted section under the "Content" heading (Clause 6.3) stated:

"You hereby grant us a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, sub-licensable license to use your Content for the purposes of operating, developing, commercializing, and improving the Service or new technologies or services, including to improve performance of machine learning models that enhance our content moderation process, in accordance with the Privacy & Cookie Policy.

"Such license includes the right to reproduce, distribute, modify, prepare derivative works based upon, broadcast, communicate to the public, publicly display, and perform Content. You will not be entitled to compensation for any use of Content by us under these Terms."

This suggested that WeTransfer could use our files – photos, videos, and other creative work – to train AI systems. Naturally, that didn't sit well in the creative community – particularly given that the service is widely used for confidential material that is under NDA (nondisclosure agreement).

After users voiced concerns and some even threatened to boycott the platform, WeTransfer took quick action. On July 15, the company updated the controversial clause in its terms. Here's the new wording of Clause 6.3:

"(...) You hereby grant us a royalty-free license to use your Content for the purposes of operating, developing, and improving the Service, all in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy."

This update is more straightforward and drops the reference to AI or machine learning. According to a statement shared with Film Stories, WeTransfer has clarified its position: "We don't use machine learning or any form of AI to process content."

WeTransfer went on to explain that the earlier language was meant to cover improvements in content moderation – not content harvesting for AI training. It admitted the language may have caused confusion and assured users that the wording was updated to be clearer and more transparent...

For now, we can keep using WeTransfer without worrying that our images will feed an AI model. But this episode is a reminder to all of us to always read the fine print!