In a groundbreaking legal action, entertainment giants Disney and Universal have joined forces to sue AI firm Midjourney for copyright infringement. The lawsuit, filed in a U.S. district court in Los Angeles, spans 110 pages and includes detailed visual examples to support the plaintiffs’ claims. It alleges that Midjourney has unlawfully utilized “countless” copyrighted works to train its AI engine for generating images.
This legal move marks the first time major Hollywood players have taken action against the AI landscape, although other companies like The New York Times, Sony Music Entertainment, and Getty Images have previously sued AI firms for similar copyright infringement allegations. Midjourney, known for its AI image generation capabilities and boasting around 20 million registered users, is accused of operating a service that functions as a “virtual vending machine” for generating unauthorized copies of Disney’s and Universal’s copyrighted characters.
Key Allegations and Characters Involved
Legal Demands and Implications
The suit seeks unspecified damages from Midjourney and aims to prevent the company from launching an upcoming video service without implementing appropriate copyright protection measures. Midjourney has not yet responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
This legal battle underscores the growing tension between Hollywood studios and AI companies regarding copyright infringement and the use of copyrighted material in training AI models. As the case progresses, it is likely to have significant implications for the AI industry’s use of copyrighted content and the development of AI-generated content.
