Universal's Aggressive Venture in Combating AI Perhaps Ignited by Insights from 'How to Train Your Dragon'
In the rapidly evolving world of entertainment, Universal Pictures is making strides to safeguard its intellectual property (IP) from unauthorized AI use. The studio has started adding explicit legal warnings during the end credits of its films, stating that the movies "may not be used to train AI."
The legal notices aim to serve as a formal legal notice that AI companies must respect the studio's IP rights. They also support potential lawsuits by clearly stating the intended prohibition of AI training using these films. Moreover, the warnings discourage unauthorized data mining and replication of copyrighted content in AI-generated entertainment.
Universal's strategy reinforces studios' claims against AI systems asserting “fair use” defenses in training datasets. This move comes amid rising concerns that AI-generated content could disrupt traditional studios by replicating or deriving heavily from copyrighted material without authorization, potentially undermining the studios’ market share and revenue.
The warnings are not just a formality. They accompany legal actions, such as the lawsuit jointly filed by Universal and Disney against the AI company Midjourney, accusing it of infringing copyrights by generating content that copies characters and scenes from their films without consent.
The copyright warnings are featured in Universal's recent box office hits like "Jurassic World: Rebirth" and "The Bad Guys 2." They are also present in the upcoming 2025 release, "How To Train Your Dragon."
The debate about AI's impact on the entertainment industry is ongoing. Netflix, for instance, has stated that the use of artificial intelligence was inevitable to lower budgets. On the other hand, AI-based platforms like Showrunner are being shopped around to major investors and streamers, allowing fans to insert their own episodes and characters into existing films and TV shows.
Meanwhile, AI-generated photos and clips are becoming increasingly realistic, adding to the concerns about copyright infringement. Universal's proactive approach to protecting its copyrighted material from being used to train AI is a significant step in the evolving AI-driven entertainment landscape.
The original animated "How to Train Your Dragon" is available for rent on Amazon, while the 2025 release is still playing in theaters nationwide and can also be purchased on VOD at home. The first AI-generated film is still being shopped around.
Universal's decision to become aggressive with its protection tactics is a clear indication of the importance the studio places on its IP rights in the face of the AI revolution. The studio's actions are starting conversations about copyright protections and AI use, setting a precedent for the industry as a whole.
- The end credits of Universal Pictures' latest box office hits, such as "Jurassic World: Rebirth" and "The Bad Guys 2," now include legal warnings, discouraging AI companies from using these movies to train artificial intelligence.
- In response to the rising concern about AI-generated content potentially disrupting traditional studios, Universal has taken a proactive step by adding these copyright warnings to its upcoming 2025 release, "How To Train Your Dragon."
- The copyright warnings are part of Universal's aggressive protection tactics in the face of the AI revolution, setting a precedent for the entertainment industry as a whole and sparking conversations about copyright protections and AI use.
