In a move that won't exactly surprise anyone, some of the biggest companies in the entertainment industry have teamed up to sue an AI company for copyright infringement. The conglomerate consists of Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, and NBCUniversal, which have filed a lawsuit against MiniMax, a Chinese AI-based company that is "reportedly worth $4 billion." Their fortune has been based on the use of well-known intellectual properties owned by the plaintiffs.
As reported by Variety, the media groups filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The company, based in Shanghai, treats copyrighted properties as their own, and has made a massive profit using the following model: "If a MiniMax subscriber submits a simple text prompt requesting the character Darth Vader in a particular setting or doing a particular action, MiniMax generates and displays high quality, downloadable images and videos featuring Disney's copyrighted Darth Vader (along with MiniMax Hailuo branding no less)." The lawsuit indicates this:
"MiniMax operates Hailuo AI, a Chinese artificial intelligence image and video generating service that pirates and plunders Plaintiffs' copyrighted works on a massive scale. MiniMax markets Hailuo AI as a 'Hollywood studio in your pocket' -- an audacious self-anointed nickname given that MiniMax built its business from intellectual property stolen from Hollywood studios like Plaintiffs.
"The Hailuo service offers its subscribers an endless supply of infringing images and videos featuring Plaintiffs' famous copyrighted characters. MiniMax completely disregards U.S. copyright law and treats Plaintiffs' valuable copyrighted characters like its own."
The companies listed as "plaintiffs" include some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry:
Disney:
Disney Enterprises Inc.
Marvel Characters Inc.
MVL Film Finance LLC
Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
NBCUniversal:
Universal City Studios Productions LLLP
DreamWorks Animation LLC
Warner Bros. Discovery:
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
DC Comics
The Cartoon Network Inc.
Turner Entertainment Co.
Hanna-Barbera Productions Inc.
AI Is Bothersome to Hollywood- So, Why Are They Still Embracing It?
AI is a touchy subject, and within the entertainment industry it has become synonymous with sin. Embracing new technologies is inevitable, and it actually could make our lives a bit easier, but generative AI is the "black sheep" of the most important technological jump in recent years.
Replacing humans in the domain of artistic creation is... wrong. Some films have even lost awards or faced backlash due to their use of AI. Although we may have missed AI in some films and shows, the use of the controversial tool is still too obvious. It just doesn't look great, or realistic enough. More importantly, it still hasn't been able to replicate what the human hand and mind can create. The use of generative AI is typically associated with lower production costs, but then again, most will likely lose credibility for using it.
As polarizing as AI is today, Hollywood seems to be embracing its arrival. The backlash doesn't seem to bother those making the decisions to incorporate the tool, and lawsuits like the one against MiniMax seem to be motivated more by financial interests than creative integrity. The plaintiffs stated the following:
"We support innovation that enhances human creativity while protecting the contributions of countless creators and the entire creative industry. A responsible approach to AI innovation is critical, and today's lawsuit against MiniMax again demonstrates our shared commitment to holding accountable those who violate copyright laws, wherever they may be based."
Disney
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