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Disney and Universal launch lawsuit against AI firm

Stormtroopers in the Star Wars series 'Andor'
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".
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