Universal Pictures warns against unauthorized use of films for AI training

New Delhi: Universal Pictures has adopted a new strategy to counter widespread piracy of its films being used to train artificial intelligence systems. Starting in June with How to Train Your Dragon, the studio has added a legal warning during the end credits of its movies stating that their titles “may not be used to train AI”, according to a report.  

The same notice has since appeared on Jurassic World Rebirth and Bad Guys 2. The warning reads: “This motion picture is protected under the laws of the United States and other countries. Unauthorized duplication, distribution or exhibition may result in civil liability and criminal prosecution.”

According to the Hollywood report, Universal believes that including this language globally adds an extra layer of protection against the use of its films for data mining and AI training. In certain countries, the warning cites a 2019 European Union copyright law, largely opposed by major technology companies, that allows creators to explicitly reserve their rights and opt out of having their material used in scientific research.

The report highlights that in an increasingly competitive entertainment market, the rise of artificial intelligence poses a significant threat to traditional studios. There is concern that a growing number of viewers may opt to consume AI-generated content, which often heavily draws on studios’ intellectual property, rather than traditional films. 

While AI tools have mainly been incorporated into production processes such as visual effects, concept art, and dubbing, emerging players are exploring the potential for entirely AI-generated content aimed at new audiences.

On July 30, Edward Saatchi’s Fable Studios announced an undisclosed investment by Amazon in Showrunner, a platform focused on AI-driven content creation. The platform enables users to produce episodes based on a few words as prompts. With plans for a 2026 theatrical release of its first AI-generated film, Fable Studios is reportedly in talks with major studios, including Disney, to license content and allow users to create fanfiction-like universes.

The report notes that around 2024, some AI image generators began producing near-exact replicas of frames from films, suggesting these films were likely used to train AI models. Examples include the AI program Midjourney generating an image of Thanos from Infinity War and a shot resembling Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick. AI-generated imagery also replicated animation styles from titles such as DreamWorks’ Shrek, Pixar’s Ratatouille, and Warner Bros.’ The Lego Movie.

This phenomenon prompted Universal and Disney to file a lawsuit against Midjourney, seeking to prevent further unauthorised use of their intellectual property. Central to the case is whether AI companies are protected under the fair use doctrine, which allows creators to build on copyrighted works without licensing. Recent legal decisions have ruled against authors in cases involving AI companies backed by Amazon and Meta.