TECH NEWS – Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) does not accept Midjourney’s ability to generate its characters during image creation.

The company has taken legal action against Midjourney, accusing the platform of large-scale copyright infringement. According to court documents, Midjourney has been creating images and videos of characters that have defined pop culture for decades. Specifically mentioned in the case are Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Scooby-Doo, and Bugs Bunny. These characters are not only fictional but also among the entertainment company’s most valuable assets.

WBD filed the lawsuit on September 5 in a Los Angeles federal court. The company alleges that Midjourney intentionally and knowingly allowed the content to be generated and profited from the use of its intellectual property. WBD further states that the AI image-generating startup initially had security measures in place to prevent such unauthorized use of its services but recently removed them, constituting a deliberate and calculated decision.

Court documents compare the AI-generated images with the originals side by side, and the similarities are striking. As a result, the studio is seeking $150,000 in damages for infringement, as well as a temporary injunction to prevent future infringements. This is not the first legal action against Midjourney; other major studios, such as Universal and Disney, also claim that the company engaged in similar practices and unlawfully depicted their characters.

In its defense, Midjourney argues that it acted in accordance with the principle of transformative fair use. The company did not directly copy images; rather, it used its technology to learn visual ideas from billions of images and then create something based on the knowledge acquired. The company suggested that this process is similar to how humans draw inspiration and learn. Midjourney shifted the responsibility to users, arguing that they are responsible for not engaging in such practices, especially since the terms of service strictly prohibit content created in this manner.

The outcome of this case could set a precedent for future cases and affect accountability in the digital age as authorities attempt to define ownership and originality in these changing times.

Source: WCCFTech, TechCrunch