Disney and Universal Take Legal Action Against AI Firm Midjourney
In a significant legal move, entertainment giants Walt Disney and Comcast’s Universal have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Midjourney, an AI-driven image generator, accusing it of unlawfully replicating and distributing their most beloved characters.
‘Bottomless Pit of Plagiarism’: Studios Allege Unauthorized Use
Describing Midjourney as a “bottomless pit of plagiarism,” the studios contend that the AI company recreated copyrighted characters without authorization and monetized the images. The lawsuit, lodged in a federal district court in Los Angeles, claims that Midjourney pirated from Disney’s and Universal’s vast visual libraries, generating unauthorized images of iconic characters such as Darth Vader from Star Wars, Elsa from Frozen, and the Minions from Despicable Me.
Studios’ Demands and Allegations
According to the complaint, both studios requested Midjourney to halt the use of their copyrighted materials and implement strict safeguards to prevent further infringements. Despite these warnings, the AI firm reportedly released newer versions of its tool capable of producing even more realistic unauthorized reproductions.
The lawsuit highlights that Midjourney generates images based on simple text prompts and cites examples including AI-rendered depictions of Yoda wielding a lightsaber, Bart Simpson skateboarding, Iron Man flying, and Buzz Lightyear in action. Universal’s characters such as Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon, Shrek, and Po from Kung Fu Panda are also part of the allegations.
Industry Leaders Speak Out
Disney’s Chief Legal Officer expressed their support for AI technology when used ethically but emphasized, “Piracy is piracy, and the fact that it’s done by an AI company does not make it any less infringing.” In a similar vein, NBCUniversal’s Executive Vice President emphasized the legal action aimed to protect the creative efforts of artists and the investments behind their original content.
Midjourney’s Business Model Under Scrutiny
The studios allege Midjourney trained its AI model using their copyrighted content and profited by offering subscription services that capitalize on the resulting images. Founded in 2021 by David Holz, Midjourney reportedly generated $300 million in revenue last year, underscoring the substantial commercial gains involved.
Previous Legal Challenges
This lawsuit is not the first time Midjourney has faced copyright controversies. Earlier rulings have allowed artists to pursue claims against Midjourney and other AI firms for unauthorized uses of their artwork, marking an ongoing battle between content creators and emerging AI technologies.
What’s Next?
Disney and Universal are seeking a preliminary injunction to halt Midjourney’s infringing activities and impose safeguards on its image- and video-generation services. They are also pursuing damages, although the precise sums have not been disclosed.
As the legal landscape around AI-generated content continues to evolve, this case could set a precedent defining the boundaries of intellectual property rights in the age of artificial intelligence.
