Getty Images vs. Stability AI: the legal battle

The well-known American company Getty Images, a global leader in the supply of visual content, has sued the British company Stability AI Limited. 

Specifically accusing it of having used millions of copyright-protected images to train its artificial intelligence model, Stable Diffusion, without any authorization.

According to Getty, this practice represents a clear violation of intellectual property, and the images generated by Stable Diffusion – created from users’ textual commands – only perpetuate this infringement.

The company claims that Stability AI’s AI is based on stolen material, collected without consent or compensation, and that this constitutes a systematic abuse of content creators’ rights.

Getty Images: “It is not a war against AI technology, but for the respect of rights”

During the first hearing, lawyer Lindsay Lane KC, legal representative of Getty Images, clarified that the intent of the case is not to hinder technological progress. 

On the contrary, he stated that Getty recognizes how the industria dell’intelligenza artificiale can be “a force for good.” However, he emphasized that this does not justify the indiscriminate use of copyright-protected works.

Lane stated: “There is no AI without creative works to train on. The problem is when artificial intelligence companies want to use these works without payment.” 

The position of Getty is that technology and creativity can coexist in synergistic harmony, but only if the fundamental rights of the creators are respected.

The lawyer also accused Stability AI of not showing any concern for the nature of the material used, which also included images with watermarks, not safe for work content, or even pornographic material. 

“This process is the day of reckoning for this approach,” he stated firmly.

The judge Joanna Smith, who is presiding over the case, has already described the lawsuit as “highly complex and technical,” emphasizing that it raises “numerous new issues” that will require an in-depth analysis by the court. 

The judge also highlighted how the court will have to dedicate an “unprecedented” amount of time to address all the legal and technological implications involved.

This case, in fact, is not limited to a simple dispute between two companies, but touches on a crucial issue for the future of generazione automatica di contenuti: to what extent can an artificial intelligence system draw on protected material for its own training?

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Stability AI: “A threat to the entire generative AI sector”

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For its part, Stability AI firmly rejects the accusations. Their lawyer, Hugo Cuddigan KC, described the lawsuit as a “blatant threat” not only to the company but to the entire intelligenza artificiale generativa sector. 

In a written statement, he stated that Getty seems to consider AI as an “existential threat,” and that its legal demands could lead to the removal of generative models from the UK market.

Cuddigan also criticized the validity of the accusations, calling them “so weak” that they seem to be the result of an “intuitive reaction” rather than a clear legal assessment. 

According to him, Getty’s requests could be rejected on multiple fronts, and their legal action risks hindering innovation in a rapidly evolving sector.

At the center of the dispute is an issue that is becoming increasingly urgent: how to balance the right to intellectual property protection with the need to feed AI models with large amounts of data? 

Images, texts, and other creative content are fundamental for training increasingly sophisticated algorithms, but their use without authorization raises ethical and legal questions.

Getty Images, with this lawsuit, intends to set a precedent that could profoundly influence the way in which tech companies operate. 

If the court were to rule in her favor, many AI companies might be forced to review their data collection methods and enter into licensing agreements with the rights holders.

On the other hand, a favorable ruling for Stability AI could strengthen the idea that the use of publicly accessible data for training purposes falls within a gray area of the law, paving the way for an even faster expansion of generative AI.

A verdict awaited with great interest

The trial between Getty Images and Stability AI is set to become a landmark case for the future of the relationship between diritto d’autore and artificial intelligence. 

With implications that go far beyond the borders of the United Kingdom, the ruling could influence legislation, business practices, and business models around the world.

In an era in which artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the way we create, share, and consume content, the verdict of the British court will be watched closely by companies, creatives, legislators, and consumers.

As highlighted by Getty’s lawyer, “it is not a battle between creatives and technology,” but a matter of fairness and respect for those who create. 

And precisely for this reason, the process represents a crucial moment to define the rules of the game in a world increasingly dominated by algorithms.