Hollywood Giants Sue Chinese AI Startup MiniMax for Copyright Infringement

Disney, Universal, Warner Bros. Sue Chinese AI Startup MiniMax

Walt Disney Co., Comcast Corp.'s Universal Studios and Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. are suing Chinese artificial intelligence startup MiniMax, accusing the company of pirating the studios' intellectual property. Founded in 2021, Shanghai-based MiniMax has created several generative AI models that run its companion apps, such as video and image editor Hailuo AI and Talkie, a chatbot that competes with Character.AI in the US. Considered one of China's so-called AI Dragons, the company is valued at about $3 billion, is aiming for a public market listing as soon as this year, Bloomberg has reported.

Hollywood studios sue Chinese AI company for alleged copyright infringement

Disney, Universal and Warner Bros Discovery have jointly filed a lawsuit against the Chinese creator of a popular artificial intelligence video app over what they claim is "wilful and brazen" copyright infringement. The suit against MiniMax, which owns Hailuo AI, a video generator that markets itself as "Hollywood studio in your pocket", is the first of its kind against a Chinese AI company. The studios argue the service is a threat to the US motion picture industry and are seeking the "maximum amount allowable by law", according to a person familiar with the situation. The lawsuit includes several screenshots of MiniMax advertisements that feature some of the studios' best-known characters, including Disney-owned Darth Vader and Universal's Minions. The images bear MiniMax Hailuo branding. The images are generated when a user submits a text prompt for a popular character in a particular setting. The results, the companies allege, are "high quality, downloadable images and videos" using copyrighted characters. They also allege that MiniMax uses images of their characters to advertise the service to US consumers, which the studios claim falsely implies an endorsement by the copyright holders. Hailuo AI's official Instagram account has used an illegal copy of Warner Bros' Joker to promote the service, according to the suit. Shanghai-based MiniMax is one of China's leading large language model start-ups, backed by HongShan -- formerly Sequoia China -- private equity group Hillhouse and Alibaba. It has received praise among developers for its text-to-video models. Hailuo, which lags behind rivals Midjourney and Kling AI in rankings of the most popular generative AI apps, has been lauded for its ability to produce realistic and cinematic videos. The lawsuit comes at a sensitive time for MiniMax, which is planning to list in Hong Kong to raise funds for its international expansion strategy, according to people familiar with the matter. MiniMax is also behind the character chatbot Talkie, which was its most significant revenue driver last year, but the company has been seeking to diversify away from the highly competitive market, particularly after the app was briefly taken off US Apple app stores in December for unspecified "technical reasons". MiniMax did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The lawsuit follows a similar one launched in June by Disney and Universal against Midjourney, a US-based AI image generator that describes itself as a "small, self-funded team". In that suit, the studios called Midjourney a "bottomless pit of plagiarism". Midjourney said in a legal filing in August that its use of the material fell under "fair use" protections. Two recent district court decisions in California have ruled that using copyrighted works to train AI models is considered "fair" even without the owner's permission.

Disney, Universal, Warner Bros Discovery sue China's MiniMax for copyright infringement

Sept 16 (Reuters) - Walt Disney (DIS.N), opens new tab, Comcast's (CMCSA.O), opens new tab Universal and Warner Bros Discovery (WBD.O), opens new tab have jointly filed a copyright lawsuit against China's MiniMax alleging that its image- and video-generating service Hailuo AI was built from intellectual property stolen from the three major Hollywood studios. The suit, filed in the district court in California on Tuesday, claims MiniMax "audaciously" used the studios' famous copyrighted characters to market Hailuo as a "Hollywood studio in your pocket" and advertise and promote its service. With a simple text prompt by a subscriber, Hailuo can generate downloadable images and videos of characters such as Darth Vader from "Star Wars", Minions from "Despicable Me" and "Wonder Woman" with MiniMax Hailuo branding, the lawsuit claims. MiniMax failed to act on the studios' requests to take reasonable measures in place at several AI services to avoid infringement, according to the lawsuit. The studios said MiniMax actively engaged in and encouraged infringement by disregarding U.S. copyright law and treating valuable copyrighted characters like its own. "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 companies said in a statement. The lawsuit seeks to halt the alleged infringement and prevent the company from offering the Hailuo AI service without appropriate copyright protections. The new complaint follows a lawsuit filed by Disney and Universal against Midjourney in June for offering a commercial service providing unauthorized AI-generated copies of its copyrighted work. Warner Bros Discovery also sued Midjourney earlier this month, echoing the allegations made by Disney and Warner Bros Discovery. The cases are part of a wave of high-stakes lawsuits brought by copyright owners including authors, news outlets and music labels against OpenAI, Microsoft (MSFT.O), opens new tab, Anthropic and other tech companies over the unauthorized use of their content in AI training. MiniMax, which has a subscription model, is reportedly targeting a valuation of more than $4 billion and is among the first batch of Chinese artificial-intelligence companies to seek a public listing. The company's models and products serve more than 157 million individual users across over 200 countries and regions and more than 50,000 enterprises and developers across more than 90 countries and regions, according to its website. Reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese in Bengaluru and Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles; Editing by Pooja Desai Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and Universal file joint lawsuit against generative AI app Hailuo

Disney, Universal and Warner Bros. Discovery are teaming up on the , this time against Chinese company MiniMax, owner of Hailuo AI. The three mega-studios, which collectively represent , filed suit in California against the AI-powered image and video generation platform alleging that it "pirates and plunders Plaintiffs' copyrighted works on a massive scale." The lawsuit includes dozens of screenshots of infringing generated images that span the gamut of the various studios' IP, from superheroes in the DC and Marvel universes to Star Wars, Minions and various other cartoons and animated films. Included in the suit are allegations that MiniMax not only failed to take reasonable actions to avoid infringement, but that the company actively engaged in and encouraged these infringing creations. The suit alleges a business model purposefully built around infringing on protected works whose defiance of US copyright law is "willful and brazen." MiniMax markets the Hailuo AI app for iOS and Android as a "Hollywood studio in your pocket," according to the suit, and advertisements for the platform explicitly invite users to create custom videos using protected works. Screenshots of these advertisements are included in the suit. This is the latest in a string of high-profile lawsuits brought by media companies over AI-generated content. Earlier this month sued the popular AI image generator Midjourney over similar claims, and filed a joint suit against it in June. Television and film aren't the only industries to accuse AI companies of blatant copyright offenses, with the publishing world seeing its fair share of lawsuits. Anthropic, the AI company behind Claude, had just reached a in a class action case representing over 500,000 authors, though a judge the settlement. Apple is also alleging the company used pirated books to train its AI model.

Disney, NBCU, WBD sue Chinese AI firm MiniMax

Why it matters: It's the second major AI lawsuit from the firms this year, suggesting Hollywood is starting to take a more aggressive stance in protecting their intellectual property. * Disney and NBCUniversal teamed up to sue Midjourney, a generative AI company, for copyright infringement in June. WBD joined that legal copyright battle earlier this month. Zoom in: In the lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the companies argue MiniMax disregards U.S. copyright law by treating the studios' copyrighted characters like its own. The parties call MiniMax's copyright infringement "willful and brazen." * The studios argue MiniMax failed to act on their requests to avoid copyright infringement, even when presented with reasonable measures employed by other AI firms. * "MiniMax's bootlegging business model and defiance of U.S copyright law are not only an attack on Plaintiffs and the hard-working creative community that brings the magic of movies to life, but are also a broader threat to the American motion picture industry, which has created millions of jobs and contributed more than $260 billion to the nation's economy," the complaint reads. * The lawsuit also claims MiniMax used well-known copyrighted characters to advertise the capabilities of its popular image and video-generating service, Hailuo AI. What they're saying: "We support innovation that enhances human creativity while protecting the contributions of countless creators and the entire creative industry," Disney, NBCU and WBD said in a joint statement, * "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." Of note: MiniMax filed for an IPO in Hong Kong in July with an estimated valuation of $4 billion. * The startup has previously received funding from Chinese tech giants Alibaba and Tencent. Zoom out: The new complaint shows how far U.S. movie studios are willing to go to protect their intellectual property in the AI era, even from companies that are not based in the U.S.

Hollywood giants sue Chinese AI firm over copyright infringement

San Francisco (United States) (AFP) - Top Hollywood studios filed a federal lawsuit Monday against Chinese artificial intelligence company MiniMax, alleging massive copyright infringement. Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Universal Pictures accuse MiniMax of building what they call a "bootlegging business model" that systematically copies their most valuable copyrighted characters to train its AI system, then profits by generating unauthorized videos featuring iconic figures like Spider-Man, Batman, and the Minions. The lawsuit marks the first time major US entertainment companies have targeted a Chinese AI company and follows a similar lawsuit in June against California-based AI company Midjourney over copyright infringement. "MiniMax operates Hailuo AI, a Chinese artificial intelligence image and video generating service that pirates and plunders Plaintiffs' copyrighted works on a massive scale," states the complaint filed in Los Angeles federal court. The studios are seeking monetary damages, including MiniMax's profits from the alleged infringement, as well as statutory damages of up to $150,000 per work. They also demand a permanent injunction to stop the unauthorized use of their copyrighted material. According to the 119-page complaint, MiniMax users can simply type prompts like "Darth Vader walking around the Death Star" or "Spider-Man swinging between buildings" to receive high-quality videos featuring these protected characters. "MiniMax completely disregards US copyright law and treats Plaintiffs' valuable copyrighted characters like its own," the lawsuit states. MiniMax, one of China's emerging AI giants, was reportedly valued at $4 billion in 2025 after raising $850 million in venture capital. The lawsuit says the studios sent MiniMax a cease-and-desist letter detailing the extensive copyright violations, but the company "did not substantively respond to Plaintiffs' letter as requested and did not cease its infringement." The studios argue that MiniMax could easily implement copyright protection measures similar to those used by other AI services but has chosen not to do so. A request for comment from MiniMax did not receive a response.

Disney, Universal, Warner Bros Discovery sue China's MiniMax for copyright infringement - The Economic Times

Walt Disney, Comcast's Universal and Warner Bros Discovery have jointly filed a copyright lawsuit against China's MiniMax alleging that its image- and video-generating service Hailuo AI was built from intellectual property stolen from the three major Hollywood studios. The suit, filed in the district court in California on Tuesday, claims MiniMax "audaciously" used the studios' famous copyrighted characters to market Hailuo as a "Hollywood studio in your pocket" and advertise and promote its service. With a simple text prompt by a subscriber, Hailuo can generate downloadable images and videos of characters such as Darth Vader from "Star Wars", Minions from "Despicable Me" and "Wonder Woman" with MiniMax Hailuo branding, the lawsuit claims. MiniMax failed to act on the studios' requests to take reasonable measures in place at several AI services to avoid infringement, according to the lawsuit. The studios said MiniMax actively engaged in and encouraged infringement by disregarding U.S. copyright law and treating valuable copyrighted characters like its own. "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 companies said in a statement. MiniMax did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The studios are seeking any profits or financial gains from MiniMax's alleged copyright infringement, as well as a court order to halt the infringement and prevent the company from offering the Hailuo AI service without appropriate copyright protections. The new complaint follows a lawsuit filed by Disney and Universal against Midjourney in June for offering a commercial service providing unauthorized AI-generated copies of its copyrighted work. Warner Bros Discovery also sued Midjourney earlier this month, echoing the allegations made by Disney and Warner Bros Discovery. The cases are part of a wave of high-stakes lawsuits brought by copyright owners including authors, news outlets and music labels against OpenAI, Microsoft, Anthropic and other tech companies over the unauthorized use of their content in AI training. MiniMax, which has a subscription model, is reportedly targeting a valuation of more than $4 billion and is among the first batch of Chinese artificial-intelligence companies to seek a public listing. The company's models and products serve more than 157 million individual users across over 200 countries and regions and more than 50,000 enterprises and developers across more than 90 countries and regions, according to its website.

Disney, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures Sue Chinese AI Company in Escalation of Copyright Battle

Warner Bros. Discovery Nears Win in 'Blade Runner 2049' Legal Battle Over Tesla's AI Images Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and Universal Pictures have sued a Chinese artificial intelligence image and video generator for copyright infringement, opening another front in a high-stakes battle involving the use of movies and TV shows owned by major studios to teach AI systems. The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in California federal court, accuses MiniMax of building its business by plundering the studios' intellectual property. Its service, Hailuo AI, allows users to generate content of iconic copyrighted characters. The studios characterize MiniMax's alleged infringement as an existential threat. Given the rapid advancement of AI technology, it's "only a matter of time until Hailuo AI can generate unauthorized, infringing videos" that are "substantially longer, and even eventually the same duration as a movie or television program," the lawsuit says. For years, AI companies have been training their technology on data scraped across the internet without compensating creators. It's led to lawsuits from authors, record labels, news organizations, artists and studios, which contend that some AI tools erode demand for their content. Earlier this month, Warner Bros. Discovery joined Disney and Universal in suing Midjourney for allegedly training its AI system on its movies and TV shows. By their thinking, the AI company is a free-rider plagiarizing their content. In a statement, Motion Picture Association CEO Charles Rivkin said AI companies will be "held accountable for infringing on the rights of American creators wherever they are located." He added, "We remain concerned that copyright infringement, left unchecked, threatens the entire American motion picture industry." MiniMax markets its Hailuo AI as a "Hollywood studio in your pocket" and uses studios' characters in promotional materials, the lawsuit says. When prompted with Darth Vader, the service returns an image of the character with a Minimax watermark, according to the complaint. It can also generate videos of characters seen across Disney, Warner Bros. and Universal movies and TV shows, including Minions, Guardians of the Galaxy and Superman, the lawsuit claims. The only way MiniMax's technology would be able do so, the studios allege, is if the company trained its AI system on their intellectual property. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, including disgorgement of profits, and a court order barring MiniMax from continuing to exploit studios' works.

Disney, Universal, Warner Bros Discovery sue China's MiniMax for copyright infringement

(Reuters) -Walt Disney, Comcast's Universal and Warner Bros Discovery have jointly filed a copyright lawsuit against China's MiniMax alleging that its image- and video-generating service Hailuo AI was built from intellectual property stolen from the three major Hollywood studios. The suit, filed in the district court in California on Tuesday, claims MiniMax "audaciously" used the studios' famous copyrighted characters to market Hailuo as a "Hollywood studio in your pocket" and advertise and promote its service. With a simple text prompt by a subscriber, Hailuo can generate downloadable images and videos of characters such as Darth Vader from "Star Wars", Minions from "Despicable Me" and "Wonder Woman" with MiniMax Hailuo branding, the lawsuit claims. MiniMax failed to act on the studios' requests to take reasonable measures in place at several AI services to avoid infringement, according to the lawsuit. The studios said MiniMax actively engaged in and encouraged infringement by disregarding U.S. copyright law and treating valuable copyrighted characters like its own. "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 companies said in a statement. The lawsuit seeks to halt the alleged infringement and prevent the company from offering the Hailuo AI service without appropriate copyright protections. The new complaint follows a lawsuit filed by Disney and Universal against Midjourney in June for offering a commercial service providing unauthorized AI-generated copies of its copyrighted work. Warner Bros Discovery also sued Midjourney earlier this month, echoing the allegations made by Disney and Warner Bros Discovery. The cases are part of a wave of high-stakes lawsuits brought by copyright owners including authors, news outlets and music labels against OpenAI, Microsoft, Anthropic and other tech companies over the unauthorized use of their content in AI training. MiniMax, which has a subscription model, is reportedly targeting a valuation of more than $4 billion and is among the first batch of Chinese artificial-intelligence companies to seek a public listing. The company's models and products serve more than 157 million individual users across over 200 countries and regions and more than 50,000 enterprises and developers across more than 90 countries and regions, according to its website. (Reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese in Bengaluru and Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles; Editing by Pooja Desai)