Signing a partnership with OpenAI, Disney has accused Google of large-scale copyright infringement tied to its AI models and services, escalating tensions between major entertainment and technology firms. In a cease-and-desist letter sent Wednesday, Disney claimed Google trained its AI systems on copyrighted works without authorization and used those systems to generate and distribute infringing images and videos. The company argued that Google effectively operates as a “virtual vending machine” for unlicensed Disney content, with some outputs branded by the Gemini logo in ways that imply endorsement.
The letter cites a wide range of allegedly infringed characters and franchises, including Frozen, The Lion King, Moana, Star Wars, Marvel, and Pixar titles. Disney said it has raised concerns with Google for months but saw no meaningful changes. The studio recently sent similar notices to Meta and Character.AI and has ongoing litigation against Midjourney and Minimax.
Google said it values its relationship with Disney and relies on public web data alongside copyright controls. Disney CEO Bob Iger said the company had “no choice” but to escalate after unsuccessful talks. Disney is demanding that Google halt all infringing outputs and implement technical safeguards to prevent future violations.
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