Artists Sue AI Image Generators Over Alleged Copyright Infringement
Two new lawsuits argue that AI image tools like Stable Diffusion and Midjourney illegally scrape copyrighted artwork to generate images. Artists claim these programs unjustly profit from their hard work without offering credit or compensation.
Two new lawsuits challenge the legality of AI image generators, arguing that tools like Midjourney and Stable Diffusion violate copyright laws. These programs create images in seconds by drawing from vast libraries of artwork scraped from the internet. However, the original artists behind those works claim their creations are used without permission, credit, or financial compensation.
Stock image company Getty Images initiates legal proceedings against Stability AI, accusing the company of copying millions of its images to build Stable Diffusion. Separately, three visual artists file a class action lawsuit in a federal court against Stability AI, Midjourney, and DeviantArt. The legal complaints state that these companies ignore viable licensing options and long-standing legal protections in pursuit of commercial interests.
The artists argue that the harm from this technology is immediate and significant, as AI-generated images sold "in the style" of specific creators siphon away commissions. Plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit seek to end this massive infringement before AI programs entirely eliminate their professions. As these paid AI services continue to grow, the courts face the complex task of deciding how copyright law applies to machine learning and generated art.