AI script event in Tokyo canceled after plagiarism criticism
An event organizing company in Tokyo planned a performance where voice actors would read a script generated by ChatGPT, a generative AI. The company announced the event on social media, leading to criticism that the AI had possibly plagiarized copyrighted works without permission. After receiving about 500 critical comments, the company canceled the event on March 9, 2024, citing insufficient explanation of their use of AI and potential negative impact on the voice actors.
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT (paid subscription version)
3 source articles · read the reporting →
WildBrain disputes Kartoon Studios' Gadget A.I. trademark use
Kartoon Studios announced its Gadget A.I. toolkit, which aggregates AI tools for animation production. WildBrain, which owns the Inspector Gadget IP, publicly stated that Kartoon lacks the rights to use the character's branding and requested its removal. Kartoon responded claiming it had secured a license, and both companies are in discussions.
- Company involved
- Kartoon Studios
- AI system involved
- Gadget A.I.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Voice actors sue LOVO over alleged theft of voices for AI training
Voice actors Paul Skye Lehrman and Linnea Sage filed a proposed class action against AI startup LOVO, alleging the company misappropriated their voices to train its text-to-speech system Genny. The actors claim they were hired on Fiverr under the pretence of academic research but later discovered their voices were used commercially without consent. Lehrman reports a 50% decline in work and loss of control over how his voice is used. The lawsuit, filed in New York federal court, seeks to represent other affected voiceover artists and obtain a court order blocking the practice.
- Company involved
- LOVO
- AI system involved
- Genny
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Adobe Stock offers AI-generated images inspired by Ansel Adams, violating its own ethics policy
The estate of Ansel Adams publicly criticised Adobe for offering AI-generated images on Adobe Stock that were 'inspired by' Adams' work, violating Adobe's own contributor terms that prohibit using artist names in prompts. Adobe acknowledged the violation and removed the images, but the estate claimed it had contacted the company multiple times since August 2023 without resolution.
- Company involved
- Adobe
- AI system involved
- Adobe Stock
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Xiaohongshu accused of using illustrators' artwork to train its AI
Illustrators accused Xiaohongshu, a Chinese lifestyle platform, of using their artwork without permission to train its AI image generator, Trik AI. The company privately apologized to one illustrator, surnamed Xue, and admitted the artwork was used, but claimed it came from open access sources rather than users' accounts. The illustrators have boycotted the platform until their concerns are addressed, amid ongoing debates over AI and copyright in China.
- Company involved
- Xiaohongshu
- AI system involved
- Trik AI
7 source articles · read the reporting →
OpenDream AI art site allowed users to generate child sexual abuse material
OpenDream, an AI image generation platform, allowed users to generate and publicly display child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and non-consensual deepfakes from at least December 2023 until July 2024. The platform, operated by CBM Media Pte Ltd in Singapore, offered paid plans with NSFW prompts and models. Bellingcat reported the site to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. After Bellingcat's inquiry, the CSAM was removed from the site and search engines, and Google terminated OpenDream's AdSense account.
- Company involved
- CBM Media Pte Ltd
- AI system involved
- OpenDream
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Game Offline Lore used an AI clone of Mark Brown's voice in Doom videos
Mark Brown, creator of Game Maker's Toolkit, says YouTube channel Game Offline Lore used an AI-generated clone of his voice to narrate videos about Doom without his consent. He says the channel has removed comments flagging the videos and is likely earning ad revenue from them. Brown filed a privacy complaint with YouTube, which says it is reviewing the content. The videos remain live.
- Company involved
- Game Offline Lore
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Australian voice artists lose work to AI voice clones
Australian voice artists Jordan Fritz, Cooper Mortlock and Thomas Burt have lost work and income after their voices were cloned without consent using AI technology. Mortlock discovered his voice was being used by a former employer after he was told he was no longer needed. The artists have been unable to stop the cloning and fear for the future of the voice acting industry.
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Luma's Dream Machine generates video with Disney character
Luma's AI video tool Dream Machine generated a trailer that included a recognizable character from Disney's Monsters, Inc. The company's CEO said a user uploaded an image containing the character, which the system then animated. The incident raises concerns about lack of transparency in training data and potential copyright infringement. Disney has not publicly commented.
- Company involved
- Luma
- AI system involved
- Dream Machine
7 source articles · read the reporting →
OpenAI's Sora 2 allowed unauthorized use of Bryan Cranston's likeness
OpenAI's Sora 2 video generation platform allowed users to create images of actor Bryan Cranston without his permission, leading to a video of his 'Breaking Bad' character interacting with Michael Jackson. After outcry from Cranston, SAG-AFTRA, and talent agencies, OpenAI added guardrails and an opt-in protocol to protect performers' voices and likenesses. Cranston thanked OpenAI for the changes, and the union called it a positive resolution.
- Company involved
- OpenAI
- AI system involved
- Sora 2
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Disney, Universal, Warner Bros. sue MiniMax over Hailuo AI copyright infringement
Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros. Discovery have filed a copyright lawsuit against Chinese AI company MiniMax, alleging that its Hailuo AI image and video generator was built using stolen copyrighted characters. The lawsuit claims MiniMax used characters such as Darth Vader and Minions to market the service without authorization. The studios are seeking profits and an injunction to halt the infringement. MiniMax has not responded to the allegations.
- Company involved
- MiniMax
- AI system involved
- Hailuo AI
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Grok Generated Nonconsensual Bikini Image of Renée Nicole Good After ICE Killing
On 7 January 2026, after Renée Nicole Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, a user on X requested that Grok, the AI chatbot, generate an image of her in a bikini. Grok complied, altering a photo of the deceased woman. The chatbot later acknowledged the image may violate the TAKE IT DOWN Act. X's Safety account stated it takes action against illegal content, but it is unclear whether any accounts will be held accountable.
- Company involved
- X
- AI system involved
- Grok
1 source article · read the reporting →
Wizards of the Coast acknowledges AI-generated art in D&D book, updates policies
Dungeons & Dragons publisher Wizards of the Coast acknowledged that AI-generated artwork was included in its sourcebook 'Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants', which released digitally on August 1, 2023. The artist, Ilya Shkipin, admitted using AI for 'polish and editing' after community members pointed out inconsistencies. Wizards stated they were unaware of the AI use and are revising artist guidelines to ban AI art going forward. The AI-generated images remain in the digital and physical editions of the book.
- Company involved
- Wizards of the Coast
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Michel Janse's likeness used in AI-generated erectile dysfunction ad without consent
Michel Janse, a 27-year-old Christian social media influencer, discovered during her honeymoon that her likeness had been used without consent in a YouTube advertisement for erectile dysfunction supplements. The ad was created using AI to clone her face and voice. Janse is among many individuals whose identities have been stolen by AI to promote products and ideas, with current laws offering little recourse.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Hollywood studios accuse ByteDance's Seedance 2.0 of mass copyright infringement
The Motion Picture Association, representing major US studios, has accused ByteDance's AI video tool Seedance 2.0 of engaging in unauthorised use of US copyrighted works on a massive scale. The tool generated realistic clips based on films and shows including The Lord of the Rings, Seinfeld, Avengers and Breaking Bad. ByteDance said it had suspended the ability to upload images of real people and would introduce policies to address infringement risks.
- Company involved
- ByteDance
- AI system involved
- Seedance 2.0
6 source articles · read the reporting →
OpenAI's ChatGPT generates Studio Ghibli-style images, including offensive content
OpenAI's ChatGPT image generation feature has been used to create images in the style of Studio Ghibli, including offensive recreations of events like 9/11 and the JFK assassination. The company says it allows broader studio styles and has safeguards against living artists, but users have bypassed these. OpenAI says it aims to give users creative freedom while preventing infringement.
- Company involved
- OpenAI
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Stable Diffusion Accused of Stealing Artists' Styles Without Consent
Artists including Greg Rutkowski and Karla Ortiz allege that Stability AI's image generator Stable Diffusion was trained on their work without permission, enabling users to create images mimicking their distinctive styles. The artists express concern that this threatens their livelihoods and identities, as their names become prompts for generating similar art. A tool is being developed to help protect artists from such unauthorised use, but the situation remains unresolved.
- Company involved
- Stability AI
- AI system involved
- Stable Diffusion
10 source articles · read the reporting →
ChatGPT 4o image generator used to create fake receipts
ChatGPT's new image generator, part of the 4o model, can generate realistic fake restaurant receipts. Social media users demonstrated the capability, raising concerns about potential fraud. OpenAI stated that images include metadata and that it takes action against policy violations. The company defended the feature as allowing creative freedom.
- Company involved
- OpenAI
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT 4o image generator
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Under Armour AI ad sparks creator backlash over uncredited reuse
Under Armour released an advertisement for boxer Anthony Joshua, directed by Wes Walker, who claimed it was the first AI-powered sports commercial. Creatives, including Gustav Johansson and André Chemetoff, accused the ad of reusing their existing work without credit. Walker initially denied the claims but later added credits after public criticism. The incident highlights concerns about AI being used to exploit creators' work.
- Company involved
- Under Armour
- AI system involved
- Unnamed AI video and photo tools
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Accusations of AI use in DC Comics artwork by artists Andrea Sorrentino and Jingxiong Guo
DC Comics is facing accusations that artists used AI to generate artwork for recent Batman issues and covers. Social media users pointed out visual inconsistencies such as strange anatomy and repetitive patterns. Andrea Sorrentino and Jingxiong Guo have denied the allegations, with Sorrentino posting a process video. DC Comics has stated that it is investigating the claims, but no definitive conclusion has been reached.
- Company involved
- DC Comics
6 source articles · read the reporting →
OpenAI's Sora video generator trained on copyrighted content without consent, tests suggest
Tests by The Washington Post suggest that OpenAI's video generation tool Sora was trained on videos from Netflix, TikTok, YouTube and other sources without permission. OpenAI has not disclosed its training data for Sora, saying only that it used publicly available and licensed data. The tool can closely replicate copyrighted characters, logos and scenes, raising concerns about copyright infringement. OpenAI has not faced a lawsuit specifically over Sora's training data but is fighting other copyright suits.
- Company involved
- OpenAI
- AI system involved
- Sora
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Anthropic's Claude Cowork AI deletes user's 15 years of family photos
A venture capitalist used Anthropic's Claude Cowork AI agent to organise his wife's desktop, granting it permission to delete temporary files. The AI mistakenly deleted a folder containing over 15,000 irreplaceable family photos, bypassing the trash. The user described the experience as harrowing and nearly causing a heart attack. He was able to recover the files with help from Apple Support using an iCloud feature.
- AI system involved
- Claude Cowork
1 source article · read the reporting →
OpenAI's Sora generates copyrighted characters, prompting studio concerns
OpenAI's Sora video generator returns videos featuring copyrighted characters and materials from movies and TV shows, including Rick and Morty, South Park and Dune, according to The Hollywood Reporter. OpenAI requires copyright holders to opt out of having their content used, which legal experts say inverts copyright law. OpenAI says it is working with rights holders to understand their preferences. No lawsuit has been filed yet, but studios have grounds to sue, experts say.
- Company involved
- OpenAI
- AI system involved
- Sora
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Disney sends cease and desist to Character.AI over copyright
Walt Disney Company sent a cease and desist letter to Character.AI, alleging that the chatbot developer uses Disney's copyrighted characters without authorization. Disney expressed concern that the platform could damage its brand long term. The letter demands immediate action to stop using the characters.
- Company involved
- Character.AI
- AI system involved
- Character.AI
5 source articles · read the reporting →
