Midjourney wants Hollywood studios to reveal the details of their AI usage

Midjourney is seeking to compel three Hollywood studios to reveal details about how they use AI internally, as part of a broader legal dispute between the generative image company and the entertainment giants. The motion represents an effort by Midjourney to turn the tables in what has largely been framed as a case about whether AI companies trained their models on copyrighted material without permission.

The legal strategy is notable because it attempts to surface potential inconsistencies in the studios' positions. If the studios are themselves deploying generative AI tools - whether for visual development, scriptwriting, or production workflows - that information could be relevant to how the court weighs questions of harm, intent, and industry norms around AI adoption.

Hollywood's relationship with generative AI has been a contentious topic since at least the 2023 writers' and actors' strikes, during which AI protections were among the central demands from labor groups. Studios have since been cautious in their public communications about AI use, even as reports suggest adoption has continued behind the scenes in various capacities, from pre-visualization to marketing asset generation.

For Midjourney, gaining access to this information through discovery could serve multiple purposes - both strengthening its legal defense and drawing public attention to the gap between how major studios discuss AI publicly and how they may use it privately. The outcome of this disclosure battle could have implications beyond the immediate case, potentially setting a precedent for the level of transparency courts expect from large media companies in AI-related litigation.