Disney and Universal sue artificial intelligence company Midjourney for allegedly violating copyright laws by reproducing their intellectual property without proper authorization.
Headline: Disney and Universal Tussle with Midjourney over AI-Generated Image Piracy
Byline: Nothing but Trouble, Here We Come Again!
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Midjourney, the upstart AI image-generator, is being sued by none other than the mammoths of Hollywood - Disney and Universal. This legal blitz is the first of its kind, with big-league studios taking aim at a generative AI technology that threatens to upend the glitzy entertainment industry.
The copyright lawsuit, filed in a Los Angeles federal court, accuses Midjourney of plundering the libraries of Disney and Universal to churn out endless, unauthorized copies of their iconic characters, such as Darth Vader from Star Wars and the Minions from Despicable Me.
Did You Know? More than 400 artists have penned a letter to former President Trump, protesting AI companies profiting off copyrighted works.
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The studios denounced Midjourney as a "copyright free-rider" and a "bottomless pit of plagiarism." They claim the SF-based AI company ignored their requests to halt the infringement and take appropriate measures to prevent further image generation.
Midjourney hasn't uttered a peep in response to the lawsuit, but CEO David Holz weighed in during a weekly conference call with users, stating, "I'm not allowed to talk about legal stuff, but let me assure you, Midjourney's here to stay."
Holz, in a previous interview with The Associated Press, likened his image-making service to a "search engine" that webs together a kaleidoscope of images from across the internet, likening the AI process to creative inspiration rather than plagiarism.
"Is it OK for a person to look at someone else's picture and learn from it, and make a similar picture?" Holz countered. "If that's not fine, then we'd have no professional or non-professional art industry."
The lawsuit against Midjourney occurs as other AI companies strive to breach the Hollywood and video game industries, offering AI tools designed to bolster filmmakers and developers by generating new videos, synthesizing voices, and editing footage.
The Motion Picture Association (MPA) asserted, "Strong copyright protection is the cornerstone of our industry," while the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) backed the lawsuit, arguing it served as a "defiant stand for human creativity and responsible innovation."
As the industry collectively holds its breath, the hotly debated topic of AI-generated images continues to reshape creative boundaries, with courtrooms lighting up like popcorn poppers. Let's get ready to rumble!
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industry • copyright • Disney • Walt Disney • Hollywood • Artificial intelligence • AI
- The copyright lawsuit filed against Midjourney by Disney and Universal highlights a significant concern for the entertainment industry, where AI-generated images threaten to disrupt the traditional creative process, similar to how AI might impact other sectors like art.
- Amidst the legal battle with Disney and Universal, other AI companies are seeking to penetrate the Hollywood and video game industries with AI tools designed to help filmmakers and developers, raising questions about the boundaries of creative inspiration versus plagiarism.
