Hollywood heavyweights Disney and Universal have launched a landmark lawsuit against AI image generator Midjourney, alleging widespread copyright infringement of their iconic characters. The studios claim Midjourney has acted as a "bottomless pit of plagiarism," using their intellectual property without permission to train its AI and generate unauthorised images.
Hollywood's AI Copyright Battle Begins
In a groundbreaking move, Disney and Universal have filed a joint 110-page lawsuit in the United States District Court Central District of California against Midjourney. This legal action marks the first time major Hollywood studios have directly challenged a generative AI company over copyright infringement, setting a significant precedent for the entertainment industry.
Allegations of Infringement
The lawsuit asserts that Midjourney has pirated the extensive libraries of both studios, leading to the creation and distribution of "endless unauthorised copies" of beloved characters. Examples cited in the complaint include:
- Darth Vader and other characters from Star Wars
- The Minions from Despicable Me
- Characters from Cars and Toy Story
- Shrek
- The Avengers (including Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk, and Iron Man)
- Elsa from Frozen
- Homer Simpson
The studios claim Midjourney ignored repeated requests to cease infringing activities and continued to release new iterations of its image generator.
Studios' Stance on AI and Piracy
Both Disney and Universal have expressed a nuanced view on AI technology, acknowledging its potential for creativity while drawing a firm line against copyright violations.
- Horacio Gutierrez, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Legal and Compliance Officer of The Walt Disney Company, stated, "We are bullish on the promise of AI technology and optimistic about how it can be used responsibly as a tool to further human creativity. But piracy is piracy, and the fact that it's done by an AI company does not make it any less infringing."
- Kimberley Harris, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of NBCUniversal, emphasised, "We are bringing this action today to protect the hard work of all the artists whose work entertains and inspires us and the significant investment we make in our content."
Midjourney's Business and Response
Midjourney, founded in 2021, operates a text-to-image generator with millions of subscribers, reportedly generating $300 million in revenue last year. The lawsuit highlights that the company has focused on its "own bottom line" despite demands from the plaintiffs. Midjourney's CEO, David Holz, previously described the service as akin to a search engine, drawing parallels between AI learning and human creativity.
Key Takeaways
- This lawsuit is a landmark case, being the first major AI copyright challenge from Hollywood studios.
- It seeks to establish a precedent for intellectual property protection in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
- The outcome could significantly impact how AI companies train their models and the future of generative AI in creative industries.
- The case underscores the growing tension between technological innovation and existing copyright laws.
