Disney and Universal Sue Midjourney, Call AI Tool a ‘Bottomless Pit of Plagiarism’

The Walt Disney Company and NBCUniversal have filed a landmark lawsuit against AI image-generator Midjourney, accusing the company of rampant copyright infringement.

Filed in a California federal court, the suit claims Midjourney unlawfully replicates iconic characters like Darth Vader, Shrek, Spider-Man, Yoda, and others, describing the platform as a “virtual vending machine” churning out unauthorised copies of their intellectual property.

Labeling Midjourney a “quintessential copyright free-rider,” the studios argue that AI-generated replicas of protected works are no different from piracy.

The lawsuit marks the first major legal action from Hollywood against an AI firm and follows a wave of similar cases from writers, artists, and musicians.

"Unlike other earlier AI-based industries AI (such as search and recommendation engines), the whole field of generative AI is almost entirely dependent on downloading and training on vast troves of intellectual property," AI scientist Gary Marcus said.

The studios also allege that Midjourney has ignored repeated requests to curb infringement and has prioritised profit over copyright protections, reportedly earning $300 million last year.

A forthcoming Midjourney video generator, they warn, could escalate the problem.