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Hollywood giants Disney and Universal have launched a copyright infringement lawsuit against AI image generator Midjourney, accusing the platform of creating unauthorized AI images of their beloved characters. The complaint alleges that Midjourney acts as a “virtual vending machine” for generating replicas of copyrighted characters like Shrek, Darth Vader, Buzz Lightyear, Yoda, and Minions, circumventing the need for investment in original character creation.

The lawsuit details instances where users’ prompts for specific copyrighted characters resulted in near-identical AI-generated images. Disney and Universal argue that Midjourney profits from these infringing outputs to market its platform and has disregarded repeated requests to cease the copyright violations.

Furthermore, the entertainment conglomerates express apprehension regarding Midjourney’s forthcoming video generator, fearing it will exacerbate copyright infringement through the creation of AI-generated videos featuring their intellectual property. Disney and Universal are seeking a jury trial, labeling the case a clear example of copyright infringement.

This marks the first significant legal challenge from the film industry against a generative AI company. Other AI firms, including OpenAI and Anthropic, have also faced copyright lawsuits from publishers and other content creators.