Walt Disney Co. (DIS, Financial) and Comcast Corp. (CMCSA, Financial) are stepping into the legal ring together—and this time, their opponent isn't another studio, it's artificial intelligence. The two media giants have filed a joint lawsuit against AI image generator Midjourney, accusing the startup of infringing on copyrights by producing unauthorized images of iconic characters like Darth Vader, Shrek, and Homer Simpson. Filed in California federal court, the suit seeks damages of up to $150,000 per violation. According to the complaint, both companies had previously asked Midjourney to stop using their content, but received no meaningful response.
Midjourney, launched publicly in 2022 by CEO David Holz, has quickly gained influence with its viral AI-generated images—from the Pope in a white puffer jacket to fake scenes of Donald Trump being arrested. The platform, which operates primarily through Discord and its website, trains its models using a massive trove of online images—some of which belong to companies like Disney and Comcast. The AI community argues this practice falls under fair use, but the lawsuit highlights a growing backlash from content owners who believe their IP is being exploited without consent or compensation.
What makes this moment especially complicated is that Disney and Comcast aren't anti-AI—they're experimenting with it too. In fact, Disney recently used AI to replicate Darth Vader's voice in Fortnite through a partnership with Epic Games. But they're drawing a line when it comes to copyright control. With Midjourney's Discord server now topping 21 million users, this case could reshape the rules of how AI companies train models—and whether copyright holders finally get a seat at the table when it comes to monetization.
