Mickey & Minions vs Midjourney: Creators sue over turning characters into AI slop

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Mac Support London - SupportPlan > Blog > Articles > Mickey & Minions vs Midjourney: Creators sue over turning characters into AI slop

In an unlikely corporate alliance, Disney and Universal are suing Midjourney for turning iconic characters like Yoda, Shrek and Iron Man into hundreds of thousands of AI-generated graphics without permission or payment.

Illuminated castle with sparkling lights, tall spires, and towers at night, surrounded by a crowd of people.

Disney’s Magic Kingdom, not AI. Image credit: Mike Wuerthele

Disney and Universal Pictures are taking AI startup Midjourney to court, accusing it of mass copyright infringement for training its image generator on the studios’ most recognizable characters. In a joint lawsuit filed Wednesday in federal court, the studios accuse Midjourney of building its business on unauthorized use of their most valuable characters.

The two studios are rarely on the same side. Disney and Universal have long competed for box office dominance and theme park visitors, but they now share a common goal.

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