The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal, and Warner Bros. Discovery have teamed up for another AI lawsuit.
Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros. Sue MiniMax
The trio filed a lawsuit against Chinese AI company MiniMax for “willful and brazen” copyright infringement, reports Variety. They filed the lawsuit on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
“MiniMax operates Hailuo AI, a Chinese artificial intelligence image and video generating service that pirates and plunders Plaintiffs’ copyrighted works on a massive scale,” the lawsuit states. “MiniMax markets Hailuo AI as a ‘Hollywood studio in your pocket’ — an audacious self-anointed nickname given that MiniMax built its business from intellectual property stolen from Hollywood studios like Plaintiffs.”
The Hailuo service offers its subscribers an endless supply of infringing images and videos featuring Plaintiffs’ famous copyrighted characters. MiniMax completely disregards U.S. copyright law and treats Plaintiffs’ valuable copyrighted characters like its own.
In a joint statement, the media giants said, “We support innovation that enhances human creativity while protecting the contributions of countless creators and the entire creative industry. A responsible approach to AI innovation is critical, and today’s lawsuit against MiniMax again demonstrates our shared commitment to holding accountable those who violate copyright laws, wherever they may be based.”
The lawsuit included examples of MiniMax’s alleged infringement, including a Darth Vader image featuring MiniMax Hailuo branding.
MiniMax’s bootlegging business model and defiance of U.S copyright law are not only an attack on Plaintiffs and the hard-working creative community that brings the magic of movies to life, but are also a broader threat to the American motion picture industry, which has created millions of jobs and contributed more than $260 billion to the nation’s economy.
In June, Disney and Universal filed a joint lawsuit against AI company Midjourney for copyright infringement. Warner Bros. filed their own suit against Midjourney earlier this month.
Midjourney responded to Disney and Universal’s lawsuit by pointing out the media companies’ own use of AI and stating they “can’t have it both ways.” Soon after filing the suit, Disney was accused of using AI to create Oogie Boogie Bash posters. It also came to light that they considered created an AI deepfake of Dwayne Johnson for the live-action Moana but reversed the decision due to legal complications.
Disney CEO Bob Iger has praised AI, calling it “the most powerful technology that our company has ever seen, including its ability to enhance and enable consumers to access, experience, and enjoy our entertainment.” (via The Hollywood Reporter)
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