Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. v. Midjourney, Inc.

Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., DC Comics, Turner Entertainment Co., Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc., and The Cartoon Network, Inc. have commenced proceedings against Midjourney, Inc. in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, alleging direct and secondary copyright infringement. The complaint asserts that Midjourney operates a commercial AI-powered subscription service that generates images and videos using copyrighted characters including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Bugs Bunny, and Scooby-Doo without authorisation, contending that the defendant's artificial intelligence technology was developed using illegal copies of the claimants' copyrighted works. According to the pleadings, Midjourney's service allows subscribers to reproduce, publicly display, perform, and distribute infringing images and videos featuring these characters, whilst the Defendant possesses technological means to prevent such infringement but has deliberately chosen not to implement adequate protection measures. The claim further alleges that Midjourney recently removed temporary copyright protections and launched "Midjourney TV," a streaming channel that publicly performs generated content. Claims advanced include direct copyright infringement and secondary copyright infringement under the Copyright Act. The Plaintiffs seek remedies including damages and injunctive relief, asserting causes of action in federal copyright statute.

This summary is provided for educational and research purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Allegations described are those made in the filings. Please consult the underlying source documents.