Disney, Universal Sue AI Firm Midjourney Over Copyright Infringement
- 21 hours ago
- 2 min read
Disney and Universal filed a lawsuit Wednesday against artificial intelligence company Midjourney, accusing it of copyright infringement for using their characters without permission.
The case, lodged in a Los Angeles federal court, marks the first time major Hollywood studios have taken legal action against a generative AI firm.
The studios allege that Midjourney used their copyrighted content to generate and distribute unauthorised images of characters such as Darth Vader from Star Wars and the Minions from Despicable Me.
The complaint describes Midjourney as a “copyright free-rider” and accuses it of mass-producing infringing content. The studios claim the San Francisco-based company ignored requests to stop using their intellectual property and failed to implement safeguards to prevent further violations.
Midjourney did not respond to the lawsuit directly, but CEO David Holz addressed the issue during a weekly user call. Holz said he could not comment on ongoing legal matters but expressed confidence in the company’s future.
In a 2022 interview, Holz likened Midjourney’s image-generation process to a search engine and defended the use of existing images for AI training. He argued that AI learning from images is similar to how humans learn and create art.
The lawsuit comes amid growing tension between the entertainment industry and AI developers. The Motion Picture Association issued a statement supporting strong copyright protections while advocating for responsible AI innovation.
The Recording Industry Association of America also backed the lawsuit, calling it a “critical stand for human creativity and responsible innovation.”
AI companies often rely on publicly available online content to train their systems, citing the “fair use” doctrine under U.S. copyright law. However, some tech firms are now pursuing licensing agreements to secure content legally.
The case adds to a series of lawsuits against AI developers in San Francisco and New York. Meanwhile, the first major copyright trial involving generative AI is underway in London, where Getty Images is suing Stability AI, a competitor of Midjourney.
Disney and Universal sued Midjourney for copyright infringement in Los Angeles
Studios allege unauthorised use of characters like Darth Vader and Minions
Midjourney CEO David Holz expressed confidence despite legal action
Source: AP NEWS
Comments