Disney and Universal Sue AI Firm Midjourney Over Copyright Infringement

Los Angeles, California – In a landmark legal move, Disney and Universal Studios have jointly filed a lawsuit against AI company Midjourney, accusing it of widespread copyright infringement.

The complaint, lodged in federal district court, claims that Midjourney has unlawfully used copyrighted material from both studios to train its image generation software. The lawsuit specifically mentions several well-known characters, including Darth Vader from Star Wars, Elsa from Frozen, and Homer Simpson from The Simpsons.

According to the 110-page lawsuit, Midjourney is described as a ‘copyright free-rider’ and a ‘bottomless pit of plagiarism.’ The studios argue that the company has ‘helped itself to countless copyrighted works’ without permission or compensation.

This lawsuit represents the first instance of major Hollywood studios taking direct legal action against a generative AI company, reflecting rising concerns about the protection of intellectual property within the media industry.

Both studios allege that they attempted to communicate with Midjourney prior to filing the lawsuit, but the company purportedly ignored their requests to halt the infringement. Instead, they claim, updated versions of Midjourney’s image generator continued to produce high-quality unauthorized images.

“We are bringing this action today to protect the hard work of all the artists whose work entertains and inspires us,” said Kimberley Harris, executive vice president and general counsel of NBCUniversal. “Theft is theft regardless of the technology used.”

In response to their actions, Horacio Gutierrez, senior executive vice president of The Walt Disney Company, expressed optimism about the potential of AI when used responsibly, while also emphasizing that ‘piracy is piracy.’

Midjourney, founded in 2021 by David Holz, is known for its ability to create images from text prompts and reportedly generated $300 million in revenue last year. As of now, the company has not responded to the lawsuit.

Disney and Universal’s lawsuit seeks both damages and a preliminary injunction to prevent Midjourney from producing or distributing infringing images or videos. This case might set a precedent for how copyright laws address AI-generated content in the future.