@priscillaharing Normally, stock photos are photographed by humans and sometimes edited with software by humans (Paintshop, or making it less blurred etc.) It is only a special kind of selling photos or give them for free. Therefore, many seem to be soulless: You make enough money you have to sell masses.
But the boundaries are blurring because genAI photos are appearing more often there. In addition, some software or cameras already work with algorithms (for image sharpness, filters).
@baldur