Disney and Universal are suing AI image generator Midjourney in a major copyright showdown. The studios filed the complaint Wednesday in California federal court, accusing Midjourney of illegally using their characters and IP to train its AI.
Midjourney lets users create realistic images from text prompts in seconds. Disney and Universal say it churns out unauthorized copies of their copyrighted works, including Star Wars characters, Bart Simpson, Shrek, Ariel, Wall-E, and the minions from Despicable Me.
They call Midjourney a “virtual vending machine” and a “bottomless pit of plagiarism.” The studios claim Midjourney ignored their requests to stop or add technology to block these infringements. 
Midjourney reportedly has 21 million subscribers and made $300 million in revenue last year.
The lawsuit demands $150,000 per infringed work and seeks to block future copyright violations. The complaint lists more than 150 allegedly infringed works, suggesting damages could top $20 million.
This is the first time major Hollywood studios have sued an AI company over copyright. Midjourney is already fighting a separate lawsuit by visual artists, which is still in discovery.
Disney’s top legal exec Horacio Gutierrez said:
“We are bullish on the promise of AI technology and optimistic about how it can be used responsibly as a tool to further human creativity,”
“But piracy is piracy, and the fact that it’s done by an AI company does not make it any less infringing.”
Motion Picture Association CEO Charles Rivkin added:
“A balanced approach to AI that both protects intellectual property and embraces responsible, human-centered innovation is critical for maintaining America’s global leadership in creative industries.”
Midjourney did not respond to requests for comment. Previously, the company argued that AI images are just tiny fragments of training data, like an artist’s inspiration.
The lawsuit puts more spotlight on the tension between AI development and intellectual property rights in entertainment.
