Disney says Google AI infringes copyright “on a massive scale” (arstechnica.com)

Disney has issued a cease and desist to Google, alleging that the tech giant's AI tools are infringing on its copyrights "on a massive scale." The legal notice claims that Google has utilized a "large corpus" of Disney's works to train its generative AI models, enabling the production of iconic characters from franchises like The Lion King, Deadpool, and Star Wars. Additionally, Disney accuses Google of distributing copies of its protected works, raising concerns about the widespread use of Disney characters in user-generated content on platforms like YouTube. This legal action marks a significant moment in the ongoing discussion of copyright issues within the AI/ML community. With Disney's vast resources and a formidable legal team, the outcome could set important precedents regarding the use of copyrighted material in AI training. The company's specific focus on YouTube highlights its apprehension about AI-generated content that could dilute the value of its intellectual property. As the landscape of AI continues to evolve, tensions between content creators and tech companies over copyright protections are likely to intensify, potentially reshaping how AI models are developed and deployed in the future.