Disney Sends Cease-and-Desist to Google Over AI-Generated Images of Frozen, Star Wars Characters
Summary
Disney fires cease-and-desist letter at Google, accusing the tech giant of running a 'virtual vending machine' that mass-produces unauthorized AI images of beloved Frozen, Star Wars, and Marvel characters through its systems, escalating a major copyright battle between entertainment and artificial intelligence industries.
Key Points
- Disney sends cease-and-desist letter to Google alleging massive copyright infringement through AI systems that generate unauthorized images of Disney characters including those from Frozen, Star Wars, Marvel, and other franchises
- Disney claims Google operates like a 'virtual vending machine' distributing copyrighted works on mass scale through AI services, with many images branded with Google's Gemini logo falsely implying authorization
- Google responds that it has a longstanding relationship with Disney and uses public web data to build AI while providing copyright controls, as Disney CEO Bob Iger confirms months of unsuccessful discussions led to the legal action