Disney, Universal, and DreamWorks have filed a major lawsuit against the AI company Midjourney, accusing the platform of generating unauthorized images of iconic film characters using artificial intelligence. The legal action, brought in a U.S. federal court in California, alleges that Midjourney's AI models replicated characters from franchises such as Star Wars, The Avengers, Toy Story, Shrek, and others without permission, constituting copyright infringement.
The studios describe Midjourney as a "bottomless pit of plagiarism," arguing that the AI's replication of copyrighted characters amounts to commercial exploitation without fair compensation. They are seeking a jury trial, damages, and an injunction to prevent further unauthorized reproduction, display, or distribution of their copyrighted works.
This lawsuit marks a pivotal moment in the evolving legal battle over how generative AI tools use copyrighted data during their training and output creation. The core legal question revolves around whether AI training on copyrighted materials qualifies as "fair use," a doctrine traditionally allowing limited use without authorization for purposes like commentary and education.
The case is part of a broader wave of copyright lawsuits targeting generative AI firms—including recent cases involving Getty Images against Stability AI and other suits against OpenAI and Anthropic—which collectively are reshaping the intellectual property landscape for AI development.
The studios criticize Midjourney for failing to implement filtering measures that could block infringing content, similar to existing filters for violent or pornographic material. Industry experts suggest the outcome could compel AI companies to negotiate licensing agreements with copyright holders, significantly altering AI business models.
Beyond legal implications, the case raises concerns about AI’s impact on the creative labor market, with reports warning of potential job disruptions and revenue losses in the audiovisual sector.
The lawsuit signals that traditional media giants are prepared to challenge AI platforms aggressively, demanding accountable use of copyrighted content and a fair share of profits from AI-generated creations.