Tesla Faces Lawsuit Over AI-Generated Images at Robotaxi Launch Event

Film production company Alcon Entertainment has filed a lawsuit accusing Tesla and Warner Bros. Discovery of copyright infringement.

The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, claims that AI-generated images used during Tesla’s October 10 launch of its fully autonomous Robotaxi bear striking similarities to scenes from the 2017 film Blade Runner 2049, a production of Alcon Entertainment.

The event, hosted on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, California, was a showcase for Tesla’s new self-driving vehicles, including the much-anticipated Robotaxi and Robovan. However, the highlight of the event—a live-streamed presentation viewed by millions—featured images that Alcon claims were generated using artificial intelligence and mirrored iconic scenes from Blade Runner 2049. The film, directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford, has become a cultural touchstone in the science fiction genre, and Alcon alleges that Tesla used images of Gosling’s character, “K,” along with the film’s signature futuristic aesthetic, without permission.

Alcon’s lawsuit is focused on an image from the event that closely resembles a scene from Blade Runner 2049, depicting Gosling’s character standing against a devastated, orange-lit landscape. Alcon co-CEOs Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson had previously denied Warner Bros. Discovery’s request to use any Blade Runner 2049 material for Tesla’s event, but the presentation proceeded with AI-created images closely mimicking the film’s design.

Blade Runner 2049 / Alcon Entertainment

The image from Tesla’s We, Robot Event

Alcon claims this usage was not only unauthorized but deliberately malicious, seeking to piggyback on the film’s brand to promote Tesla’s new products. According to the lawsuit, Musk and Tesla’s use of these images “is likely to cause confusion” among Alcon’s business partners, particularly with upcoming projects such as the Blade Runner 2099 series for Amazon Prime. 

The lawsuit calls for an injunction preventing Tesla and Warner Bros. Discovery from further using any Blade Runner 2049 elements and seeks unspecified monetary damages. Alcon asserts that it has spent “hundreds of millions of dollars” building the Blade Runner 2049 brand and claims the financial implications of Tesla’s misappropriation are substantial.

Tesla and Warner Bros. Discovery have not yet responded to the lawsuit, but given the stakes, this legal battle could mark yet another high-profile clash between Elon Musk’s companies and the entertainment industry.

Elon Musk Gets A Raised EyeBrow from Director Alex Proyas for Design Similarities to I, Robot

While the futuristic, edgeless RoboVan and CyberCab designs were reminiscent of Tesla’s trademark aesthetic, sharp-eyed social media users quickly pointed out a striking resemblance to the robotic designs featured in filmmaker Alex Proyas’ 2004 sci-fi film I, Robot, starring Will Smith.

The similarities didn’t go unnoticed by Proyas himself, who took to Musk’s platform, X , to criticize the Tesla CEO for seemingly borrowing from his work. The Australian director, best known for films like The Crow (1994), didn’t hold back, writing, “Hey Elon, can I have my designs back please?”

Source: X

Proyas’ I, Robot, set in a futuristic 2035 Chicago, explores a world where human-like androids serve in public roles, guided by Isaac Asimov’s iconic three laws of robotics. The film, which also stars Bridget Moynahan and Alan Tudyk, follows Smith’s skeptical detective investigating the suspicious death of a U.S. Robotics executive. 

This isn’t the first time a Tesla product has sparked comparisons to futuristic film designs. In 2019, Tesla’s Cybertruck drew comparisons to the sleek steel vehicles seen in Paul Verhoeven’s classic Arnold shocker, Total Recall.

Meanwhile, Proyas is preparing to start production on his upcoming sci-fi satire R.U.R., set to begin filming in Sydney, Australia, on October 21.

Controversy aside, the sleek futuristic art-deco lines of the Robovan are quite striking.

Source: Tesla