Disney and Universal have filed a lawsuit against the AI company Midjourney, claiming copyright infringement.

The lawsuit, submitted to the United States District Court for the Central District of California, is the first legal action from major Hollywood studios concerning AI and copyright issues.

The studios allege that Midjourney used AI to generate and distribute images featuring characters from their films without authorization. Characters cited in the lawsuit include those from Star Wars, The Simpsons, Cars, Toy Story, Shrek, The Avengers, and Despicable Me.

The companies claim that Midjourney ignored repeated requests to stop these activities.

Disney and Universal are seeking a jury trial, arguing that Midjourney’s actions undermine copyright protections.

Midjourney has not yet responded to the lawsuit.

🔗 Source: CNBC

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Hollywood’s AI lawsuit joins a historical pattern of copyright battles following technological disruption

Disney and Universal’s lawsuit against Midjourney follows a long pattern of copyright law adapting to disruptive technologies throughout history.

Copyright protections have consistently evolved since the first U.S. copyright law in 1790, which initially covered only books for 14 years, to today’s extensive protections lasting an author’s life plus 70 years 1.

Previous technological advances similarly triggered legal battles and copyright reforms, from piano rolls in 1908 (which the Supreme Court ruled weren’t “copies” under existing law) to the complex software copyright debates of the 1970s-80s 2.

This lawsuit represents the latest chapter in copyright’s evolution, as courts now must determine whether AI’s use of copyrighted materials for training constitutes fair use, potentially reshaping intellectual property law for the digital era 3.

The pattern shows legal frameworks struggling to catch up with technological innovation, with each major shift requiring courts and legislators to reinterpret copyright principles established centuries ago.

2️⃣ Fair use doctrine becomes the central battleground in AI copyright disputes

The Disney-Universal lawsuit against Midjourney highlights how “fair use” has become the critical legal concept in AI copyright disputes.