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‘Wall-E With a Gun’: Midjourney Generates Videos of Disney Characters Amid Massive Copyright Lawsuit

‘Wall-E With a Gun’: Midjourney Generates Videos of Disney Characters Amid Massive Copyright Lawsuit

Midjourney’s new AI-generated video tool will produce animated clips featuring copyrighted characters from Disney and Universal, WIRED has found—including video of the beloved Pixar character Wall-E holding a gun.

It’s been a busy month for Midjourney. This week, the generative AI startup released its sophisticated new video tool, V1, which lets users make short animated clips from images they generate or upload. The current version of Midjourney’s AI video tool requires an image as a starting point; generating videos using text-only prompts is not supported.

The release of V1 comes on the heels of a very different kind of announcement earlier in June: Hollywood behemoths Disney and Universal filed a blockbuster lawsuit against Midjourney, alleging that it violates copyright law by generating images with the studios’ intellectual property.

Midjourney did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Disney and Universal reiterated statements made by its executives about the lawsuit, including Disney’s legal head Horacio Gutierrez alleging that Midjourney’s output amounts to “piracy.”

It appears that Midjourney may have attempted to put up some video-specific guardrails for V1. In our testing, it blocked animations from prompts based on Frozen’s Elsa, Boss Baby, Goofy, and Mickey Mouse, although it would still generate images of these characters. When WIRED asked V1 to animate images of Elsa, an “AI moderator” blocked the prompt from generating videos. “Al Moderation is cautious with realistic videos, especially of people,” read the pop-up message.

These limitations, which appear to be guardrails, are incomplete. WIRED testing shows that V1 will generate animated clips of a wide variety of Universal and Disney characters, including Homer Simpson, Shrek, Minions, Deadpool, and Star Wars’ C-3PO and Darth Vader. For example, when asked for an image of Minions eating a banana, Midjourney generated four outputs with recognizable versions of the cute, yellow characters. Then, when WIRED clicked the “Animate” button on one of the outputs, Midjourney generated a follow-up video with the characters eating a banana—peel and all.

Although Midjourney seems to have blocked some Disney- and Universal-related prompts for videos, WIRED could sometimes circumvent the potential guardrails during tests by using spelling variations or repeating the prompt. Midjourney also lets users provide a prompt to inform the animation; using that feature, WIRED was able to to generate clips of copyrighted characters behaving in adult ways, like Wall-E brandishing a firearm and Yoda smoking a joint.

The Disney and Universal lawsuit poses a major threat to Midjourney, which also faces additional legal challenges from visual artists who allege copyright infringement as well. Although it focused largely on providing examples from Midjourney’s image-generation tools, the complaint alleges that video would “only enhance Midjourney ability to distribute infringing copies, reproductions, and derivatives of Plaintiffs’ Copyrighted Works.”

The complaint includes dozens of alleged Midjourney images showing Universal and Disney characters. The set was initially produced as part of a report on Midjourney’s so-called “visual plagiarism problem” from AI critic and cognitive scientist Gary Marcus and visual artist Reid Southen.

“Reid and I pointed out this problem 18 months ago, and there’s been very little progress and very little change,” says Marcus. “We still have the same situation of unlicensed materials being used, and guardrails that work a little bit but not very well. For all the talk about exponential progress in AI, what we’re getting is better graphics, not a fundamental-principle solution to this problem.”

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#WallE #Gun #Midjourney #Generates #Videos #Disney #Characters #Massive #Copyright #Lawsuit

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes’ case against prediction market Kalshi appears to have hit a snag.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced Friday that it has won a temporary restraining order preventing the state from pursuing its criminal case against Kalshi (whose CEO Tarek Mansour is pictured above).

“Arizona’s decision to weaponize state criminal law against companies that comply with federal law sets a dangerous precedent, and the court’s order today sends a clear message that intimidation is not an acceptable tactic to circumvent federal law,” said CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig in a statement.

While the CFTC normally has five commissioners, Selig is currently the only one on the commission, following his confirmation in December and the departure of previous acting chairman Caroline Pham (who left to join crypto company MoonPay).

Arizona has filed charges against Kalshi accusing the company of operating an illegal gambling business in the state without a license. The announcement of the restraining order comes just a couple days after a federal judge allowed Arizona’s case to move forward, according to Bloomberg.

The CFTC also filed suits seeking to stop similar cases from moving forward in Connecticut and Illinois.

#Kalshi #wins #temporary #pause #Arizona #criminal #case #TechCruncharizona,cftc,commodity futures trading commission,Kalshi">Kalshi wins temporary pause in Arizona criminal case | TechCrunch
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes’ case against prediction market Kalshi appears to have hit a snag.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced Friday that it has won a temporary restraining order preventing the state from pursuing its criminal case against Kalshi (whose CEO Tarek Mansour is pictured above).







“Arizona’s decision to weaponize state criminal law against companies that comply with federal law sets a dangerous precedent, and the court’s order today sends a clear message that intimidation is not an acceptable tactic to circumvent federal law,” said CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig in a statement.

While the CFTC normally has five commissioners, Selig is currently the only one on the commission, following his confirmation in December and the departure of previous acting chairman Caroline Pham (who left to join crypto company MoonPay).

Arizona has filed charges against Kalshi accusing the company of operating an illegal gambling business in the state without a license. The announcement of the restraining order comes just a couple days after a federal judge allowed Arizona’s case to move forward, according to Bloomberg.

The CFTC also filed suits seeking to stop similar cases from moving forward in Connecticut and Illinois.
#Kalshi #wins #temporary #pause #Arizona #criminal #case #TechCruncharizona,cftc,commodity futures trading commission,Kalshi

announced Friday that it has won a temporary restraining order preventing the state from pursuing its criminal case against Kalshi (whose CEO Tarek Mansour is pictured above).

“Arizona’s decision to weaponize state criminal law against companies that comply with federal law sets a dangerous precedent, and the court’s order today sends a clear message that intimidation is not an acceptable tactic to circumvent federal law,” said CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig in a statement.

While the CFTC normally has five commissioners, Selig is currently the only one on the commission, following his confirmation in December and the departure of previous acting chairman Caroline Pham (who left to join crypto company MoonPay).

Arizona has filed charges against Kalshi accusing the company of operating an illegal gambling business in the state without a license. The announcement of the restraining order comes just a couple days after a federal judge allowed Arizona’s case to move forward, according to Bloomberg.

The CFTC also filed suits seeking to stop similar cases from moving forward in Connecticut and Illinois.

#Kalshi #wins #temporary #pause #Arizona #criminal #case #TechCruncharizona,cftc,commodity futures trading commission,Kalshi">Kalshi wins temporary pause in Arizona criminal case | TechCrunch

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes’ case against prediction market Kalshi appears to have hit a snag.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced Friday that it has won a temporary restraining order preventing the state from pursuing its criminal case against Kalshi (whose CEO Tarek Mansour is pictured above).

“Arizona’s decision to weaponize state criminal law against companies that comply with federal law sets a dangerous precedent, and the court’s order today sends a clear message that intimidation is not an acceptable tactic to circumvent federal law,” said CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig in a statement.

While the CFTC normally has five commissioners, Selig is currently the only one on the commission, following his confirmation in December and the departure of previous acting chairman Caroline Pham (who left to join crypto company MoonPay).

Arizona has filed charges against Kalshi accusing the company of operating an illegal gambling business in the state without a license. The announcement of the restraining order comes just a couple days after a federal judge allowed Arizona’s case to move forward, according to Bloomberg.

The CFTC also filed suits seeking to stop similar cases from moving forward in Connecticut and Illinois.

#Kalshi #wins #temporary #pause #Arizona #criminal #case #TechCruncharizona,cftc,commodity futures trading commission,Kalshi
vivo may soon launch its X series lineup in India with the vivo X300 FE. The smartphone debuted globally earlier this year, and reports now suggest its India release is not far away. According to the latest leaks, the vivo X300 FE might launch in India in early May. The expected timeline has been shared by a trusted tipster, giving a fair idea of when to expect it. However, without official confirmation, the launch date is still not final.

Another important highlight of the vivo X300 FE includes its new green color variant. The green color variant of the phone will reportedly be available only in India, and hence, it will provide something special to the Indian users. Apart from the green variant, it is also available in black and purple.

Design, Display, and Software

Vivo X300 FE May Debut In India Soon With An Exclusive Green Variant
	
vivo may soon launch its X series lineup in India with the vivo X300 FE. The smartphone debuted globally earlier this year, and reports now suggest its India release is not far away. According to the latest leaks, the vivo X300 FE might launch in India in early May. The expected timeline has been shared by a trusted tipster, giving a fair idea of when to expect it. However, without official confirmation, the launch date is still not final.



Another important highlight of the vivo X300 FE includes its new green color variant. The green color variant of the phone will reportedly be available only in India, and hence, it will provide something special to the Indian users. Apart from the green variant, it is also available in black and purple.



Design, Display, and Software







In the upcoming vivo X300 FE, you are going to get a 6.31-inch LTPO AMOLED display. In addition, the phone might have a 120Hz refresh rate, which should ensure a smooth experience when scrolling through pages and playing games. It could also be protected by IP68/IP69 ratings against dust and water damage.



In terms of performance, it may feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor. It is also expected to offer 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage for a smooth, fast experience. The device could run on OriginOS 6 based on Android 16. Overall, this combination should be good enough for gaming and daily use.



Camera and Battery



The vivo X300 FE is likely to come with a strong camera setup. It may include three rear cameras: a 50MP primary sensor, a 50MP telephoto lens, and an 8MP ultra-wide camera. Zeiss branding is also expected, which generally improves image quality. On the front, users could get a 50MP selfie shooter. Moreover, there have also been reports of a telephoto kit.



Battery performance could be another strong point of the vivo X300 FE. The phone is expected to include a 6,500mAh battery along with support for 90W wired and 40W wireless charging. This combination should help users get long usage time without worrying much about charging.



Expected Price in India



In international markets, the vivo X300 FE comes with an introductory price tag of around RUB 60,299 (equivalent to Rs 71,000). Similar pricing can be expected in the Indian market as well; however, the exact figure has not yet been confirmed. vivo is likely to reveal the final pricing details during the official launch.

#Vivo #X300 #Debut #India #Exclusive #Green #VariantVivo

In the upcoming vivo X300 FE, you are going to get a 6.31-inch LTPO AMOLED display. In addition, the phone might have a 120Hz refresh rate, which should ensure a smooth experience when scrolling through pages and playing games. It could also be protected by IP68/IP69 ratings against dust and water damage.

In terms of performance, it may feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor. It is also expected to offer 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage for a smooth, fast experience. The device could run on OriginOS 6 based on Android 16. Overall, this combination should be good enough for gaming and daily use.

Camera and Battery

The vivo X300 FE is likely to come with a strong camera setup. It may include three rear cameras: a 50MP primary sensor, a 50MP telephoto lens, and an 8MP ultra-wide camera. Zeiss branding is also expected, which generally improves image quality. On the front, users could get a 50MP selfie shooter. Moreover, there have also been reports of a telephoto kit.

Battery performance could be another strong point of the vivo X300 FE. The phone is expected to include a 6,500mAh battery along with support for 90W wired and 40W wireless charging. This combination should help users get long usage time without worrying much about charging.

Expected Price in India

In international markets, the vivo X300 FE comes with an introductory price tag of around RUB 60,299 (equivalent to Rs 71,000). Similar pricing can be expected in the Indian market as well; however, the exact figure has not yet been confirmed. vivo is likely to reveal the final pricing details during the official launch.

#Vivo #X300 #Debut #India #Exclusive #Green #VariantVivo">Vivo X300 FE May Debut In India Soon With An Exclusive Green Variant
	
vivo may soon launch its X series lineup in India with the vivo X300 FE. The smartphone debuted globally earlier this year, and reports now suggest its India release is not far away. According to the latest leaks, the vivo X300 FE might launch in India in early May. The expected timeline has been shared by a trusted tipster, giving a fair idea of when to expect it. However, without official confirmation, the launch date is still not final.



Another important highlight of the vivo X300 FE includes its new green color variant. The green color variant of the phone will reportedly be available only in India, and hence, it will provide something special to the Indian users. Apart from the green variant, it is also available in black and purple.



Design, Display, and Software







In the upcoming vivo X300 FE, you are going to get a 6.31-inch LTPO AMOLED display. In addition, the phone might have a 120Hz refresh rate, which should ensure a smooth experience when scrolling through pages and playing games. It could also be protected by IP68/IP69 ratings against dust and water damage.



In terms of performance, it may feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor. It is also expected to offer 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage for a smooth, fast experience. The device could run on OriginOS 6 based on Android 16. Overall, this combination should be good enough for gaming and daily use.



Camera and Battery



The vivo X300 FE is likely to come with a strong camera setup. It may include three rear cameras: a 50MP primary sensor, a 50MP telephoto lens, and an 8MP ultra-wide camera. Zeiss branding is also expected, which generally improves image quality. On the front, users could get a 50MP selfie shooter. Moreover, there have also been reports of a telephoto kit.



Battery performance could be another strong point of the vivo X300 FE. The phone is expected to include a 6,500mAh battery along with support for 90W wired and 40W wireless charging. This combination should help users get long usage time without worrying much about charging.



Expected Price in India



In international markets, the vivo X300 FE comes with an introductory price tag of around RUB 60,299 (equivalent to Rs 71,000). Similar pricing can be expected in the Indian market as well; however, the exact figure has not yet been confirmed. vivo is likely to reveal the final pricing details during the official launch.

#Vivo #X300 #Debut #India #Exclusive #Green #VariantVivo

may soon launch its X series lineup in India with the vivo X300 FE. The smartphone debuted globally earlier this year, and reports now suggest its India release is not far away. According to the latest leaks, the vivo X300 FE might launch in India in early May. The expected timeline has been shared by a trusted tipster, giving a fair idea of when to expect it. However, without official confirmation, the launch date is still not final.

Another important highlight of the vivo X300 FE includes its new green color variant. The green color variant of the phone will reportedly be available only in India, and hence, it will provide something special to the Indian users. Apart from the green variant, it is also available in black and purple.

Design, Display, and Software

Vivo X300 FE May Debut In India Soon With An Exclusive Green Variant
	
vivo may soon launch its X series lineup in India with the vivo X300 FE. The smartphone debuted globally earlier this year, and reports now suggest its India release is not far away. According to the latest leaks, the vivo X300 FE might launch in India in early May. The expected timeline has been shared by a trusted tipster, giving a fair idea of when to expect it. However, without official confirmation, the launch date is still not final.



Another important highlight of the vivo X300 FE includes its new green color variant. The green color variant of the phone will reportedly be available only in India, and hence, it will provide something special to the Indian users. Apart from the green variant, it is also available in black and purple.



Design, Display, and Software







In the upcoming vivo X300 FE, you are going to get a 6.31-inch LTPO AMOLED display. In addition, the phone might have a 120Hz refresh rate, which should ensure a smooth experience when scrolling through pages and playing games. It could also be protected by IP68/IP69 ratings against dust and water damage.



In terms of performance, it may feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor. It is also expected to offer 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage for a smooth, fast experience. The device could run on OriginOS 6 based on Android 16. Overall, this combination should be good enough for gaming and daily use.



Camera and Battery



The vivo X300 FE is likely to come with a strong camera setup. It may include three rear cameras: a 50MP primary sensor, a 50MP telephoto lens, and an 8MP ultra-wide camera. Zeiss branding is also expected, which generally improves image quality. On the front, users could get a 50MP selfie shooter. Moreover, there have also been reports of a telephoto kit.



Battery performance could be another strong point of the vivo X300 FE. The phone is expected to include a 6,500mAh battery along with support for 90W wired and 40W wireless charging. This combination should help users get long usage time without worrying much about charging.



Expected Price in India



In international markets, the vivo X300 FE comes with an introductory price tag of around RUB 60,299 (equivalent to Rs 71,000). Similar pricing can be expected in the Indian market as well; however, the exact figure has not yet been confirmed. vivo is likely to reveal the final pricing details during the official launch.

#Vivo #X300 #Debut #India #Exclusive #Green #VariantVivo

In the upcoming vivo X300 FE, you are going to get a 6.31-inch LTPO AMOLED display. In addition, the phone might have a 120Hz refresh rate, which should ensure a smooth experience when scrolling through pages and playing games. It could also be protected by IP68/IP69 ratings against dust and water damage.

In terms of performance, it may feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor. It is also expected to offer 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage for a smooth, fast experience. The device could run on OriginOS 6 based on Android 16. Overall, this combination should be good enough for gaming and daily use.

Camera and Battery

The vivo X300 FE is likely to come with a strong camera setup. It may include three rear cameras: a 50MP primary sensor, a 50MP telephoto lens, and an 8MP ultra-wide camera. Zeiss branding is also expected, which generally improves image quality. On the front, users could get a 50MP selfie shooter. Moreover, there have also been reports of a telephoto kit.

Battery performance could be another strong point of the vivo X300 FE. The phone is expected to include a 6,500mAh battery along with support for 90W wired and 40W wireless charging. This combination should help users get long usage time without worrying much about charging.

Expected Price in India

In international markets, the vivo X300 FE comes with an introductory price tag of around RUB 60,299 (equivalent to Rs 71,000). Similar pricing can be expected in the Indian market as well; however, the exact figure has not yet been confirmed. vivo is likely to reveal the final pricing details during the official launch.

#Vivo #X300 #Debut #India #Exclusive #Green #VariantVivo">Vivo X300 FE May Debut In India Soon With An Exclusive Green Variant

vivo may soon launch its X series lineup in India with the vivo X300 FE. The smartphone debuted globally earlier this year, and reports now suggest its India release is not far away. According to the latest leaks, the vivo X300 FE might launch in India in early May. The expected timeline has been shared by a trusted tipster, giving a fair idea of when to expect it. However, without official confirmation, the launch date is still not final.

Another important highlight of the vivo X300 FE includes its new green color variant. The green color variant of the phone will reportedly be available only in India, and hence, it will provide something special to the Indian users. Apart from the green variant, it is also available in black and purple.

Design, Display, and Software

Vivo X300 FE May Debut In India Soon With An Exclusive Green Variant
	
vivo may soon launch its X series lineup in India with the vivo X300 FE. The smartphone debuted globally earlier this year, and reports now suggest its India release is not far away. According to the latest leaks, the vivo X300 FE might launch in India in early May. The expected timeline has been shared by a trusted tipster, giving a fair idea of when to expect it. However, without official confirmation, the launch date is still not final.



Another important highlight of the vivo X300 FE includes its new green color variant. The green color variant of the phone will reportedly be available only in India, and hence, it will provide something special to the Indian users. Apart from the green variant, it is also available in black and purple.



Design, Display, and Software







In the upcoming vivo X300 FE, you are going to get a 6.31-inch LTPO AMOLED display. In addition, the phone might have a 120Hz refresh rate, which should ensure a smooth experience when scrolling through pages and playing games. It could also be protected by IP68/IP69 ratings against dust and water damage.



In terms of performance, it may feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor. It is also expected to offer 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage for a smooth, fast experience. The device could run on OriginOS 6 based on Android 16. Overall, this combination should be good enough for gaming and daily use.



Camera and Battery



The vivo X300 FE is likely to come with a strong camera setup. It may include three rear cameras: a 50MP primary sensor, a 50MP telephoto lens, and an 8MP ultra-wide camera. Zeiss branding is also expected, which generally improves image quality. On the front, users could get a 50MP selfie shooter. Moreover, there have also been reports of a telephoto kit.



Battery performance could be another strong point of the vivo X300 FE. The phone is expected to include a 6,500mAh battery along with support for 90W wired and 40W wireless charging. This combination should help users get long usage time without worrying much about charging.



Expected Price in India



In international markets, the vivo X300 FE comes with an introductory price tag of around RUB 60,299 (equivalent to Rs 71,000). Similar pricing can be expected in the Indian market as well; however, the exact figure has not yet been confirmed. vivo is likely to reveal the final pricing details during the official launch.

#Vivo #X300 #Debut #India #Exclusive #Green #VariantVivo

In the upcoming vivo X300 FE, you are going to get a 6.31-inch LTPO AMOLED display. In addition, the phone might have a 120Hz refresh rate, which should ensure a smooth experience when scrolling through pages and playing games. It could also be protected by IP68/IP69 ratings against dust and water damage.

In terms of performance, it may feature the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor. It is also expected to offer 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage for a smooth, fast experience. The device could run on OriginOS 6 based on Android 16. Overall, this combination should be good enough for gaming and daily use.

Camera and Battery

The vivo X300 FE is likely to come with a strong camera setup. It may include three rear cameras: a 50MP primary sensor, a 50MP telephoto lens, and an 8MP ultra-wide camera. Zeiss branding is also expected, which generally improves image quality. On the front, users could get a 50MP selfie shooter. Moreover, there have also been reports of a telephoto kit.

Battery performance could be another strong point of the vivo X300 FE. The phone is expected to include a 6,500mAh battery along with support for 90W wired and 40W wireless charging. This combination should help users get long usage time without worrying much about charging.

Expected Price in India

In international markets, the vivo X300 FE comes with an introductory price tag of around RUB 60,299 (equivalent to Rs 71,000). Similar pricing can be expected in the Indian market as well; however, the exact figure has not yet been confirmed. vivo is likely to reveal the final pricing details during the official launch.

#Vivo #X300 #Debut #India #Exclusive #Green #VariantVivo

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