Walt Disney And Universal Studios Sue A.I. Image Firm

Entertainment giant Walt Disney Co. (DIS) is suing artificial intelligence (A.I.) image creator Midjourney, alleging copyright infringement.

It is the first A.I. copyright lawsuit from a major Hollywood studio.

Disney is joined in the lawsuit by fellow entertainment company Universal Studios, which is a subsidiary of Comcast (CMCSA).

The lawsuit claims that privately held Midjourney used and distributed A.I.-generated characters from Disney and Universal properties such as Star Wars and The Simpsons without permission.

The studios included numerous examples in the lawsuit of A.I.-generated images of characters from the Cars, Toy Story, Shrek, Avengers, and Despicable Me film franchises.

Disney and Universal are demanding a jury trial and arguing that the actions of Midjourney threaten to “upend the bedrock incentives of U.S. copyright law.”

In their lawsuit, Disney and Universal refer to Midjourney as “the quintessential copyright free-rider and a bottomless pit of plagiarism.”

The studios further state that Midjourney’s actions have been “calculated and willful” and showed blatant disregard for U.S. copyright laws.

The lawsuit filed jointly by Walt Disney and Universal is the latest example of how A.I. has raised the stakes in the media and entertainment industries.

A.I. has also sparked concerns over how individuals and companies can protect content from illegal copyright infringement.

DIS stock has increased 8% this year to trade at $119.52 U.S. per share.