Disney Fires Legal Shot at Google Over AI Copyright Clash The magic kingdom is drawing a line in the digital sand. Disney has launched a major legal salvo against Google, accusing the tech titan of copyright infringement on a massive scale. The allegation centers on Google using Disney’s protected films and characters to train its generative AI models without permission. According to a cease-and-desist letter sent by Disney attorneys, Google is not only training its AI on a large collection of copyrighted Disney works but is also commercially exploiting these models. The tools are allegedly generating and distributing infringing images and videos of Disney properties to consumers. The letter, which was reviewed by press, includes specific examples. It shows that Google’s AI tools have reproduced imagery from major Disney franchises including Deadpool, Moana, and Star Wars. Disney is now demanding that Google implement immediate guardrails across all its AI products to stop this activity. This move is part of a broader offensive by Disney to protect its intellectual property in the age of generative AI. The company sent a similar legal warning to the startup Character.AI last September. It is also currently engaged in lawsuits against other AI companies, including Hailuo and the image generator Midjourney, over similar copyright claims. The legal landscape for copyright holders has grown increasingly complex as AI tools capable of producing detailed images and videos have proliferated. In response, many media giants are adopting a dual strategy: legally challenging unauthorized use while simultaneously cutting deals for authorized partnerships. In a stark example of this two-pronged approach, Disney made a separate announcement on the same day as its Google letter. The company revealed a major partnership with OpenAI. The deal will license Disney’s iconic characters for use within OpenAI’s ecosystem, including its Sora video generation tool. As part of the agreement, Disney will invest one billion dollars into OpenAI, with an option to purchase more equity later. This investment, while substantial, is noted to be modest compared to other recent multi-billion dollar infusions into AI companies. The contrast between the lawsuit and the partnership highlights the emerging industry divide. Companies like Disney are aggressively pursuing legal action against what they see as unauthorized training and output, while also seeking to control and monetize their IP through official channels with selected AI leaders. The outcome of this clash with Google could set a significant precedent for how copyrighted material is used to build and deploy the next generation of AI tools.
