🇺🇸🇨🇦 US/CAListingsMedium ImpactJuly 23, 2026
Amazon Requires Sellers to Tag Images and Videos Featuring Photorealistic AI-Generated People With "contains-synthetic-performer" Metadata (July 2026)
Sellers and brand owners who use photorealistic AI-generated models or people in listing images, A+ Content, Brand Stores, or product and advertising videos. Sellers who photograph real people, or whose images show no people, do not need to add the tag.
Amazon told sellers in July 2026 that product images and videos showing photorealistic, fully AI-generated people must carry a specific metadata keyword before they are uploaded. Amazon links the rule to recent legislation requiring disclosure when advertising images or videos contain photorealistic AI-generated people, and says it will add an indicator so shoppers know when an image includes AI-generated people. The requirement applies in Amazon stores worldwide. In a follow-up forum answer, an Amazon moderator said it covers all buyer-facing media and that previously published content should be tagged retroactively.
Key Points
- Images and videos with photorealistic AI-generated people must have the keyword "contains-synthetic-performer" added to the dc:subject (XMP) metadata field, using an IPTC-compatible metadata editor, before upload
- Amazon says it will add an indicator on listings to tell customers that an image includes AI-generated people, where applicable
- Exceptions: media that only shows real people (even if altered with AI), only fictional characters from TV, film or video games, no people or non-photorealistic people, or AI-generated backgrounds without people
- An Amazon moderator clarified that the rule covers all buyer-facing media: listing images, A+ Content, Brand Story, Store images, and product, A+, Store and advertising videos
- For A+ Content, sellers can either embed the keyword before upload or tick the "AI-generated people" checkbox during upload, and Amazon applies the metadata; for other media, tagging the file before upload is the only option
- The moderator also said sellers should add the metadata retroactively to already published content, and that non-compliance risks policy violations and possible ASIN removal
What You Should Do Now
- 1Audit your listing images, A+ modules, Brand Story, Store pages and videos for any photorealistic people who were entirely AI-generated
- 2For each file that qualifies, add "contains-synthetic-performer" to the dc:subject (XMP) field with an IPTC-compatible metadata editor and re-upload it
- 3When uploading A+ Content, use the "AI-generated people" checkbox if you have not embedded the keyword yourself
- 4Tell your designers or agencies to embed the keyword by default whenever they deliver AI-generated people, so new uploads are compliant from the start
Official Source
Amazon Seller Central →This summary is written in our own words based on the official source linked above. Policies may be updated after publication. Always check the official Amazon source for the latest details.