The UK High Court of Justice delivered a mixed ruling in the Getty Images v. Stability AI case, primarily favoring Stability AI while leaving significant questions about AI and copyright unresolved. Getty Images, which licenses its vast library of online stock images, claimed Stability’s Stable Diffusion AI infringed on its trademark and copyright by replicating watermarks. However, Justice Joanna Smith concluded that Getty failed to demonstrate any UK users reproduced the watermark, which is essential for proving “primary infringement” under UK law. Additionally, she dismissed allegations of “secondary infringement,” noting that the AI model does not store or reproduce copyrighted images, aligning with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act (CDPA) of 1988. While brands can still protect trademarks, the ruling lacks broad legal precedent on AI training and intellectual property, raising ongoing concerns for creators. Blockchain and Web3 solutions are emerging to safeguard content ownership and verify rights.
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