Disney and Comcast Sue AI Startup Midjourney Over Use of Copyrighted Characters

In a major legal move reflecting growing friction between media giants and AI startups, Walt Disney Co. and Comcast Corp. have jointly sued Midjourney Inc. for alleged copyright infringement. The lawsuit, filed in a California federal court, claims Midjourney unlawfully used protected characters from franchises like Star Wars, The Simpsons, Shrek, and Minions to train and generate AI images. Despite prior cease-and-desist demands, the media companies say Midjourney continued its practices, prompting the claim of $150,000 in damages per infringement.

Midjourney, a prominent generative AI platform launched in 2022, allows users to create high-quality images from text prompts. It has gained widespread popularity, in part due to viral images generated using its tools. However, like other AI firms, Midjourney relies on training datasets compiled from internet-sourced media, raising questions about the legal boundaries of AI development under U.S. fair use laws.

Media companies like Disney and Comcast face a delicate balance: they are exploring AI to enhance creative production—such as recent initiatives with Epic Games—while also fiercely protecting their intellectual property. The ongoing dispute highlights how unresolved questions surrounding AI training data and copyright could increasingly land in the courts.

As AI tools reshape the creative and entertainment industries, lawsuits like this one signal that major studios are ready to challenge perceived misuse of their content. The outcome of this case may set a key precedent for future regulation and monetization of AI-generated media.