Hollywood studios Disney and Universal have filed a 143-page lawsuit against Midjourney, an AI company, for copyright infringement. The lawsuit alleges that Midjourney generates images closely resembling characters from popular franchises like “Frozen” and “Star Wars,” portraying the company as a significant threat to the traditional incentives of U.S. copyright law. With claims of systemic and ongoing copyright violations, the studios are seeking damages, including statutory damages that could total nearly $30 million for 199 alleged infringements.
Legal experts indicate that the outcome will hinge on whether Midjourney’s creations are deemed “transformative” and how it acquired the copyrighted material for its model. As studios push for better partnerships with AI companies, this legal action underlines a growing tension between creative rights and technological advancement. The case may set a precedent and trigger more lawsuits in the industry, as studios aim to protect their intellectual property in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
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