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The Real Reason Bob Iger Declared War on A.I.

Disney is racing to keep its fight with Midjourney inside the judicial system and out of the political swamp. Insiders insist the endgame isn’t a licensing deal, but to actually compel A.I. companies to stop ripping off Hollywood’s prized I.P. Whether Midjourney negotiates is an open question… but Disney is done asking nicely.

Disney, Star Wars
Disney and NBCUniversal finally showed some spine and filed a copyright suit against Midjourney, the popular image generator responsible for spitting out eerily accurate versions of Darth Vader, Homer Simpson, and dozens of other intellectual properties that once paid for Bob Iger’s second yacht. Photo: Courtesy of Lucasfilm
Eriq Gardner
June 17, 2025

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If there’s one question I’ve been asked most in recent years, it’s this: Why haven’t Hollywood studios sued over generative A.I.? Simple naivete? Or something more sinister, like a plot to replace the town’s creative class with code-based replicants without agents, egos, or union cards?