Disney and Universal, two titans of Hollywood, have launched a joint lawsuit against Midjourney, a prominent AI image generation company. The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court in Los Angeles, alleges massive copyright infringement. The studios claim Midjourney illegally used their copyrighted characters and imagery to train its AI model, creating unauthorized reproductions of iconic figures from franchises like Star Wars, Marvel, The Simpsons, and many more.
The 110-page complaint details the alleged misuse of “countless” copyrighted works, highlighting Midjourney’s considerable success – the company reportedly raked in $300 million in subscription revenue last year. Disney and Universal assert that Midjourney’s actions constitute blatant copyright infringement, describing the company as a “quintessential copyright free-rider and a bottomless pit of plagiarism.” The studios further claim that despite receiving cease-and-desist letters, Midjourney not only ignored them but also continued to develop its technology, even preparing to launch an AI-driven video service, allegedly also trained on unauthorized copyrighted material.
Disney’s chief legal officer, Horacio Gutierrez, stated that while they are optimistic about the responsible use of AI, “piracy is piracy.” NBCUniversal’s general counsel, Kim Harris, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need to protect artists and the studios’ significant investment in content. The lawsuit seeks a preliminary injunction to halt Midjourney’s alleged infringement and the launch of its video service, along with unspecified damages. Midjourney has yet to publicly respond to the accusations.
This case isn’t an isolated incident. Similar lawsuits have been filed against other AI companies accused of unauthorized training data use. The New York Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft in 2023, and major music labels have also taken legal action. However, this marks the first major copyright lawsuit against an AI firm by Hollywood’s leading studios, setting a significant legal precedent in the rapidly evolving landscape of AI and intellectual property rights. The outcome will undoubtedly have major implications for the future of AI image and video generation, and how these technologies interact with existing copyright laws.
