Disney and Universal launch lawsuit against AI firm
Stormtroopers in the Star Wars series 'Andor' (Lucasfilm)
Disney and Universal have filed a copyright lawsuit against AI image-generator Midjourney, alleging it pirated their libraries to create unauthorized copies of characters like Darth Vader and the Minions.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Los Angeles, marks the first time major Hollywood companies have entered the legal battle over generative AI.
The studios claim Midjourney ignored requests to stop infringing on copyrighted works and implement measures to halt unauthorized image generation.
Disney and Universal assert that Midjourney is a “copyright free-rider” and “a bottomless pit of plagiarism”
Midjourney, a San Francisco-based AI startup, has not yet commented on the lawsuit; major AI developers typically argue that using publicly accessible data for training falls under "fair use".