Disney sends cease-and-desist to Google over 'massive' AI copyright infringement

Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter to Google on Wednesday, claiming that the tech giant has infringed on its copyrights, according to a report by Variety.

In the letter, Disney accuses Google of copyright infringement on a “massive scale,” alleging that the company has used AI models and services to commercially distribute unauthorized images and videos.

The letter reads, “Google operates as a virtual vending machine, capable of reproducing, rendering, and distributing copies of Disney’s valuable library of copyrighted characters and other works on a mass scale.”

“And compounding Google’s blatant infringement, many of the infringing images generated by Google’s AI Services are branded with Google’s Gemini logo, falsely implying that Google’s exploitation of Disney’s intellectual property is authorized and endorsed by Disney.”

The letter alleges that Google’s AI systems violate the copyright of characters from “Frozen,” “The Lion King,” “Moana,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Deadpool,” and more.

Google responded to Disney’s allegations by stating it would “engage” with the company, but neither confirmed nor denied the claims. A spokesperson emphasized their “longstanding and mutually beneficial relationship with Disney” and confirmed their commitment to continuing engagement.

The company also defended its AI practices, noting it uses “public data from the open web to build our AI” and has implemented “innovative copyright controls like Google-extended and Content ID for YouTube, which give sites and copyright holders control over their content.”

Significantly, Disney’s action against Google occurred on the same day it finalized a separate $1 billion, three-year agreement with OpenAI. This deal is set to integrate Disney’s iconic characters into OpenAI’s Sora AI video generator.