Feng Huang Wang·2025-09-17 07:54Core Viewpoint - The copyright battle between Hollywood and the AI sector has intensified, with major film studios suing a Chinese AI company, MiniMax, for unauthorized use of iconic intellectual properties in AI model training and commercial services [1][2]. Group 1: Lawsuit Details - Disney, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. have filed a lawsuit against MiniMax and its image and video generation service "Hai Luo AI" in a California federal court [1]. - The lawsuit accuses MiniMax of "brazenly" using well-known copyrighted characters, such as Darth Vader from "Star Wars," Minions from "Despicable Me," and Wonder Woman, to promote its AI services [1][2]. - The studios claim that users can generate and download images and videos featuring these characters on "Hai Luo AI" with simple text prompts, which MiniMax markets as a "Hollywood studio in your pocket" [1]. Group 2: Legal and Industry Implications - Prior to the lawsuit, the studios requested MiniMax to take reasonable measures to avoid infringement, but received no response [2]. - The studios emphasize the importance of a responsible approach to AI innovation and their commitment to pursuing accountability for infringers, regardless of their location [2]. - The lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction to prevent MiniMax from offering "Hai Luo AI" services without proper copyright protection [2]. - This case is part of a broader trend of legal disputes between Hollywood and AI generation tools, following similar lawsuits against Midjourney by Disney and Universal in June, with Warner Bros. joining the fray earlier this month [2]. - MiniMax claims to have served over 157 million individual users and thousands of enterprises globally, and is seeking a valuation exceeding $4 billion, aiming to be one of the first publicly listed AI companies in China [2].