Disney, Universal Sue Midjourney Over AI Copyright Use

Disney and Universal Studios have jointly filed a landmark lawsuit against AI company Midjourney, alleging large-scale copyright infringement for using their protected works to train generative models that create unauthorized images and, in the near future, videos featuring characters like Darth Vader, Shrek, and Homer Simpson. The lawsuit claims Midjourney ignored multiple cease-and-desist orders and profited substantially through subscription revenue while building its models on copyrighted content without permission. This marks the first direct legal challenge by major Hollywood studios against a generative AI company, following earlier lawsuits by other media firms. The studios seek an injunction to stop both current and future alleged infringements, along with monetary damages. They assert support for responsible AI development but argue that unlicensed use of their intellectual property amounts to piracy. The case may set a significant precedent for how copyright law applies to AI-generated content and training data.