Marvel and NBCUniversal have filed a lawsuit against Midjourney, a generative AI tool, for allegedly violating their intellectual property rights. The complaint, lodged in Federal Court, accuses Midjourney of profiting from user-generated images that infringe upon copyright materials, including characters from iconic franchises like Deadpool, Darth Vader, Shrek, and Minions. Midjourney’s founder, David Holz, previously stated that obtaining permission for the vast amount of images used is impractical. The lawsuit claims Midjourney generated $300 million in revenue last year, leveraging copyrighted works without compensation. Disney and Universal argue that this threatens the integrity of U.S. copyright law and could destabilize the creative arts industry, which generates substantial economic benefits. This high-profile legal action mirrors other lawsuits against AI firms, potentially influencing the future of generative AI technology, as major corporations make significant investments in the field. The outcome could redefine copyright boundaries in the digital age.
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