AI image generator Midjourney has accused major Hollywood studios of hypocrisy in a high-stakes legal battle, demanding that plaintiffs Disney, Warner Bros., and Universal disclose their own internal uses of artificial intelligence. The demand comes as part of the ongoing discovery process in a copyright infringement lawsuit where the studios accuse Midjourney of generating images of their copyrighted characters.
Midjourney's legal team is seeking comprehensive disclosure of the studios' AI practices, including business plans, research reports, training data, and board presentations related to AI. This move is central to Midjourney's defense strategy, which posits that the studios themselves engage in similar AI practices to those they are suing over.
A Central District of California Court judge had previously ruled that the studios must provide Midjourney's lawyers with information about generative AI uses that appeared in consumer-facing videos and images. However, Midjourney is pushing for a broader disclosure that encompasses all AI work, even internal operations.
The legal conflict began last fall when Disney and Universal sued Midjourney, alleging that the AI company's video generator could create infringing images of characters such as Shrek, Bart Simpson, and Darth Vader. Warner Bros. subsequently joined the lawsuit several months later.
Midjourney is also challenging certain claims, including "secondary liability," arguing it should not be held responsible for the actions of its users. Legal sources, however, suggest this defense may be unlikely to succeed.
A resolution to these procedural questions is expected soon, with a hearing scheduled for August 17. The case could significantly shape the future of artificial intelligence in creative industries and establish precedents for copyright law in the age of AI-generated content.
This legal dispute highlights the growing tension between traditional content creators and the rapidly advancing field of AI, raising complex questions about intellectual property, fair use, and the definition of originality in digital art and media.