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Disney and Universal Sue Midjourney for Copyright Infringement

nytimes.com

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Re: Disney and Universal Sue Midjourney for Copyright Infringement

#11

Post by Kim_Bruning »

codazoda wrote: post #2

This is not at all surprising to me. Just this week I asked for a picture of a cartoon Car. It produced an image so similar to Pixar Cars that I was surprised. I was hoping for something a bit more creative. I asked the AI a few follow-up questions about the first use of the windshield for eyes. That might not be a copyrightable thing but Pixar Cars have a certain look to them and these tools seem to produce a very s…

How about "Cartoon car, not Pixar" for instance.

I think it's important for AI to learn from sources; just to know what not to do as well.

And I suppose it's legal to explore a visual space for your own personal use as well.

Actually publishing copyright infringing materials is a different story. Not sure you should blame the tool though.

Re: Disney and Universal Sue Midjourney for Copyright Infringement

#12

Post by waffletower »

evilfred wrote: post #10
waffletower wrote: post #6

Fair use. Let's not live in a pay-per-thought society.

lol I don't think that the ability to spit out recognizable images of copyrighted characters really counts as fair use

AI inputs are not outputs. Copyright exists at the output. You can't sue someone for reading every book in the library unless they try to sell one of them as their own.

Re: Disney and Universal Sue Midjourney for Copyright Infringement

#14

Post by waffletower »

ls612 wrote: post #9
waffletower wrote: post #6

Fair use. Let's not live in a pay-per-thought society.

Oh don’t worry, once BCIs get developed you’ll live in a pay per thought society, and if you think negatively of it, boy will you ever pay. It’s science fiction today but I doubt it will remain so for our lifetimes.

If we let them own our thoughts they will -- control over AI inputs is part of that dystopian trajectory IMO. And if it arrives in our lifetime I will flee The Convergence and hide with Priest Entity Nada and Polo in the Space Anomaly :nerdface

Re: Disney and Universal Sue Midjourney for Copyright Infringement

#16

Post by grepexdev »

evilfred wrote: post #10
waffletower wrote: post #6

Fair use. Let's not live in a pay-per-thought society.

lol I don't think that the ability to spit out recognizable images of copyrighted characters really counts as fair use

If I buy a pencil and draw a copyrighted character, is that copyright infringement? No. If I sell that drawing? Yes.

Midjourney and other AI companies are not selling you the drawing, they're selling you the pencil. What you do with that pencil and the drawings you create with that pencil is on you and you alone.

Re: Disney and Universal Sue Midjourney for Copyright Infringement

#18

Post by deafpolygon »

amanaplanacanal wrote: post #17
deafpolygon wrote: post #13

Shouldn't they sue whoever uses it to make Disney IP?

Contributory infringement is also a thing: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contributory_copyright_infri...

They'd have to prove that Midjourney "knowingly" contributed.

Re: Disney and Universal Sue Midjourney for Copyright Infringement

#20

Post by rvz »

deafpolygon wrote: post #18
amanaplanacanal wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Contributory infringement is also a thing: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contributory_copyright_infri...

They'd have to prove that Midjourney "knowingly" contributed.

They will start with this interview, which the CEO of Midjourney admitted that they trained on copyrighted content without the artists permission. [0]

[0] https://www.forbes.com/sites/robsalkowitz/2022/09/16/midjour...

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