Midjourney, an AI startup, is seeking to compel three Hollywood studios—Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros.—to disclose how they use AI in their operations. The request comes as part of an ongoing legal battle over alleged copyright infringement, with the studios accusing Midjourney of using their copyrighted characters in its image-generation models. The startup, however, maintains that its use of such content falls under fair use.
In its latest legal filing, Midjourney is asking a judge to overturn a previous ruling that limited the scope of information studios must provide during discovery. The judge had previously stated that studios would only need to disclose AI usage related to consumer-facing content. Midjourney argues that this limitation allows the studios to selectively share documents that support their claims while withholding evidence that could prove industry-wide practices, such as using unlicensed content for internal AI training.
The studios’ lead attorney, David Singer, previously called Midjourney’s request a ‘fishing expedition,’ stating that the studios do not seek to stop AI technology or shut down Midjourney’s business. Instead, they want the startup to cease copying their movies and TV shows and to stop distributing derivative works that include unauthorized copies of their characters. The dispute highlights the growing tension between AI startups and traditional media companies over content ownership and usage.
Source: techcrunch
