Disney, Universal Sue AI Firm for Copyright Violations
(MENAFN) Two leading Hollywood studios, Disney and Universal, have jointly initiated legal proceedings against the artificial intelligence startup Midjourney, asserting that the company has committed extensive violations of copyright laws.
The legal complaint, officially submitted on Wednesday to the US District Court located in Los Angeles, contends that the AI-based image generation tool developed by Midjourney unlawfully utilized the studios’ protected content to train its software.
The lawsuit further claims that the tool produced unauthorized replicas of several renowned fictional characters.
In the detailed 110-page lawsuit, it is alleged that Midjourney incorporated an immense number of copyrighted materials belonging to both studios without obtaining any legal authorization.
The company, which has operated out of San Francisco since its establishment in 2021, reportedly generated USD300 million in subscription-based income over the past year, according to the complaint.
The entertainment companies labeled Midjourney as “the quintessential copyright free-rider and a bottomless pit of plagiarism.” The legal action asserts that the AI tool replicated figures from major franchises, such as Star Wars, Marvel, The Simpsons, Shrek, Minions, Kung Fu Panda, and How to Train Your Dragon.
The plaintiffs also emphasized that Midjourney has disregarded several cease-and-desist communications and requests to adopt protective measures.
Rather than complying, the company has allegedly released newer iterations of its platform capable of producing even more refined images.
Moreover, Midjourney is reportedly working on an AI-powered video feature that is also being developed using copyrighted materials without obtaining permission.
“Midjourney could easily stop its theft and exploitation,” the studios declared in the filing.
However, they argue the company has persisted with its “bootlegging” methods in direct violation of US intellectual property regulations.
The lawsuit underlines that the exclusive rights to commercialize the featured characters—whether through consumer products, digital entertainment, or paid platforms—belong solely to the original studios.
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