Disney and Universal File Lawsuit Against AI Company Midjourney for Copyright Infringement

Disney and Universal have initiated a copyright lawsuit against the AI image-generator Midjourney, marking a significant legal confrontation between major Hollywood studios and generative AI technologies. Filed in Los Angeles, the complaint alleges that Midjourney has unlawfully utilized the studios’ libraries to create and distribute unauthorized depictions of their iconic characters, including Darth Vader and the Minions. The companies condemn Midjourney as a “copyright free-rider” engaged in plagiarism, asserting that the method of creation—whether through AI or other technologies—doesn’t mitigate the infringement. Additionally, they claim that Midjourney ignored their requests to cease this infringement and implement precautions against it. The case highlights the tension between creative industries and AI developers, who often argue that using publicly available data to train AI systems falls under the “fair use” doctrine in copyright law. Midjourney has yet to respond to the lawsuit.

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