Can I use AI-generated video commercially?
Yes, as long as you generated on a paid tier of a platform whose terms grant commercial use. Most paid frontier platforms (Klixor, Runway, Pika, Kling paid tier, Hailuo paid tier, Veo via Google AI) grant full commercial rights. Free tiers often restrict use to personal or non-monetised contexts.
- Paid tier of a reputable platform = full commercial rights, usually.
- Free tier = read the licence; often non-commercial only.
- You cannot copyright pure AI output in the US, but you can sell, license and use it.
- Always avoid generating real people without permission for ads.
What 'commercial use' actually means
Most commercial-use licences grant you the right to use the output in ads, paid social, websites, client work, products you sell, and so on. They do not grant you copyright over the output (US law: pure AI output is not copyrightable as of 2026), but they do let you exploit it commercially.
Read the specific platform's terms. They are usually one or two paragraphs and very clear.
Common restrictions to watch for
No generating identifiable real people for ads without their consent. No generating content that could mislead viewers about a public figure. No re-uploading raw model output as your own AI tool. These rules are standard across reputable platforms.
FAQ
Can I sell AI-generated videos as stock footage?
Yes on most paid platforms, but some stock marketplaces (Shutterstock, Getty) have their own AI policies — check before uploading.
Do I need to disclose AI use in ads?
Meta and TikTok require disclosure for synthetic content. Disclosed AI ads run normally — no algorithmic penalty.