Elon Musk sued for using AI-generated Blade Runner 2049 visual in a presentation

Tesla and Elon Musk are facing a copyright infringement lawsuit from Alcon Entertainment over the use of AI-generated images inspired by the 2017 film Blade Runner 2049 during the recent We, Robot event. The lawsuit alleges that Tesla and its partners, including Warner Bros. Discovery, used AI to create images similar to the film without proper authorization.

The companies reportedly asked permission to use a graphic from the movie, but Alcon Entertainment denied it. However, the companies proceeded to use the AI-generated image in their presentation, and it apparently looked a little too much like the actual movie visual.

Potential copyright infringement isn’t the only concern, though. As Tech Times report, Alcon Entertainment expressed concerns about associating their film with Tesla and Elon Musk, citing Musk’s controversial behavior and alleged ties to hate speech. The company emphasized its desire to distance itself from such associations.

“Beyond these more ordinary commercial issues, there is the problematic Musk himself,” the lawsuit reads.

“Any prudent brand considering any Tesla partnership has to take Musk’s massively amplified, highly politicized, capricious and arbitrary behavior, which sometimes veers into hate speech, into account. If, as here, a company or its principals do not actually agree with Musk’s extreme political and social views, then a potential brand affiliation with Tesla is even more issue fraught. Alcon did not want BR2049 to be affiliated with Musk, Tesla, or any Musk company, for all of these reasons.”

The We, Robot event was a significant milestone for Tesla, showcasing advancements in autonomous technology, including the Cybercab and Robovan. However, the copyright infringement lawsuit has overshadowed the event’s success.

Many artists who use “old-school” methods to create their artwork have expressed concern about this as well. We all know that many AI models have been trained on actual photos, paintings, and illustrations, often without consent. You can now generate “an Ansel Adams-style ‘photo’” without even leaving your desk. But what happens when the AI-generated image is a little too similar to the original work? This is exactly what happened here, and it will be interesting to follow this legal battle! As it unfolds, we’ll see how the courts interpret the use of AI-generated content and the extent of copyright protection for original works. If Alcon Entertainment wins, it could have huge positive implications for photographers and other artists (and I guess you can now guess whose side I’m on).

[via Tech Times]

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