Following Disney's cease-and-desist letter, Google has removed dozens of AI-generated videos featuring Disney characters from YouTube, addressing claims of copyright infringement in hosting and AI training. This enforcement action continues Disney's aggressive IP protection strategy amid select AI partnerships.
In response to a cease-and-desist letter from Disney earlier in the week, Google removed dozens of AI-generated videos from YouTube by Friday, as reported by Variety and Deadline. The videos featured Disney characters including Deadpool, Moana, Mickey Mouse, and Star Wars figures.
The letter accused Google of 'infringing Disney’s copyrights on a massive scale,' citing both YouTube hosting of infringing content and use of Disney works to train AI models like Veo and Nano Banana. This follows Disney's recent C&D mentions in broader AI partnership announcements (see prior coverage on Disney-OpenAI deal).
Disney has pursued similar actions against other AI firms, including Character.AI, and ongoing suits against Hailuo and Midjourney. These steps highlight Disney's firm stance on IP amid generative AI growth, contrasting with strategic collaborations like its new OpenAI licensing agreement.
