Warner Bros Takes Legal Action Against AI Generator Midjourney for Copyright Infringement of Iconic Characters

Warner Bros. has filed a lawsuit against AI company Midjourney in Los Angeles for copyright infringement, marking a significant legal development in the entertainment sector. This lawsuit follows a similar action initiated by Disney and Universal in June. Warner Bros. alleges that Midjourney allows its subscribers to generate AI-created content featuring iconic characters like Superman, Batman, and Scooby-Doo, using what they claim are “illegal copies” of copyrighted works. The suit argues that even generic prompts lead to the creation of copyrighted imagery, creating consumer confusion about the legality of the content. Warner Bros. seeks up to $150,000 in damages per infringed work. Midjourney, in response, defends its practices as transformative fair use, comparing itself to a search engine that learns from publicly available images. The case highlights ongoing tensions in the intersection of AI technology and intellectual property rights in Hollywood.

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