Entertainment giants and rivals Disney (DIS) and Universal have teamed up to sue AI image creator Midjourney for alleged copyright infringements, including those of “Star Wars” and “The Simpsons.”
“For more than 100 years, Disney and Universal have delighted audiences around the world by investing in and fostering American creative innovation and producing some of the greatest motion pictures and fictional characters of all time,” read the complaint. “Midjourney, however, seeks to reap the rewards of Plaintiffs’ creative investment by selling an artificial intelligence (AI) image-generating service that functions as a virtual vending machine, generating endless unauthorized copies of Disney‘s and Universal’s copyrighted works.”
The companies allege that “Midjourney is the quintessential copyright free-rider and a bottomless pit of plagiarism,” and include in the lawsuit several AI-generated images of copyrighted characters like Darth Vader, Homer Simpson, Shrek, and the Minions, which they allege Midjourney produced.
Disney and Universal, who allege that Midjourney generated $300 million in revenue last year, and ignored their demands to stop its actions, are seeking a jury trial.
Midjourney did not immediately respond to an Investopedia request for comment.
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