Burbank-based Disney, along with Warner Bros. Discovery and NBCUniversal, Tuesday sued a Chinese artificial intelligence company, alleging in federal court that MiniMax engaged in "willful and brazen" copyright infringement.
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The media companies contend the image-generating platform ignores U.S. copyright law and treats the studios' trademarked characters, including Spider-Man, Batman, and the Minions, as if they were owned by MiniMax.
"MiniMax operates Hailuo AI, a Chinese artificial intelligence image and video generating service that pirates and plunders Plaintiffs' copyrighted works on a massive scale," the studios allege in the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles federal court.
"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 lawsuit also alleges that the Shanghai, China-based Hailuo service offers 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."
Disney, NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery -- the latter two based in New York -- said in a joint statement, "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."
The studios accuse MiniMax of creating a "bootlegging business model" that copies their trademarked characters to train its AI system, then profits by generating unauthorized videos featuring those characters.
The media companies are seeking unspecified damages or maximum statutory damages of $150,000 per infringed work. The suit also seeks an injunction barring MiniMax from infringing the studios' works.
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