Disney, Universal Sue Midjourney Over AI Copyright

Disney and Universal have jointly filed a landmark lawsuit against AI company Midjourney, accusing it of massive copyright infringement by enabling users to generate images of iconic characters such as Darth Vader, Shrek, and the Minions. The studios allege that Midjourney's AI unlawfully uses their intellectual property to train its models and produces unauthorized reproductions of their works. The complaint includes numerous side-by-side visual examples and claims that Midjourney uses these generated images to market its service, which reportedly generated significant revenue last year. This marks the first major legal confrontation between Hollywood and a generative AI firm, highlighting growing tensions over AI's use of copyrighted materials. Disney and Universal stress support for responsible AI innovation but insist that piracy remains piracy. Midjourney has not yet publicly responded to the lawsuit.