Disney, Universal Sue Midjourney Over AI Copyright

Disney and Universal have jointly filed a landmark federal lawsuit against AI company Midjourney, accusing it of mass copyright infringement for using their iconic characters—including Darth Vader, Elsa, Minions, and Spider-Man—without authorization. The studios allege that Midjourney trained its image generator on their copyrighted works and continued these practices despite repeated requests to implement safeguards or stop infringement. This is the first major legal challenge by Hollywood studios against an AI company over image generation, and its outcome could set crucial precedents for intellectual property law in the AI era. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages and an injunction to halt further infringing activities. Legal experts say the case will require courts to consider fair use and transformative use in AI-generated outputs, potentially shaping future media and technology regulations. Industry advocates see this as a decisive moment that could strengthen protections for artists and creators against unauthorized exploitation by AI platforms.