Disney and Universal Take Legal Action Against AI Firm Midjourney for Copyright Violations: NPR

In a landmark lawsuit, Disney and Universal are suing AI company Midjourney for copyright infringement, marking the first case of major Hollywood studios challenging AI firms. Filed in a Los Angeles U.S. district court, the 110-page complaint claims that Midjourney illegally utilized “countless” copyrighted works to train its AI for generating images. The suit includes visual examples of alleged infringements involving iconic characters like Homer Simpson, Shrek, and Darth Vader. It accuses Midjourney of operating as a “virtual vending machine,” producing unauthorized copies of these popular intellectual properties. The plaintiffs seek unspecified damages and aim to prevent Midjourney from launching a new video service without proper copyright safeguards. This lawsuit follows similar actions against AI companies by various entities, but it is significant as it represents the first coordinated legal effort by prominent entertainment firms against the AI sector. Midjourney has not yet commented on the lawsuit.

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