Getty Images Suffers Setback in Lawsuit Against Stability AI

Getty Images experienced a significant setback in its legal battle against British AI firm Stability AI, as a London court ruled largely in favor of the defendant. The ruling, issued on October 3, 2023, came after Getty alleged that Stability AI unlawfully utilized millions of images from its platforms to train its AI model, known as Stable Diffusion. This model is capable of generating images based on verbal prompts.

During the trial, which commenced in June 2023, Getty Images claimed that Stability AI’s actions constituted a violation of copyright. The AI firm, which counts renowned Canadian filmmaker James Cameron among its directors, denied these allegations, characterizing the lawsuit as a “threat” to its operations.

In a notable shift, Getty Images withdrew its breach of copyright allegations during the trial but continued to pursue several other claims, including trademark infringement and secondary copyright infringement. Judge Joanna Smith noted in her 205-page ruling that there was “no evidence that the training and development of Stable Diffusion took place in the United Kingdom.” She emphasized that the court could only address the reduced set of claims that remained.

Despite the overall loss, the court found Stability AI liable for producing images that displayed the watermark of “Getty” or its subsidiary, “iStock.” This aspect of the ruling represented a partial success for Getty’s trademark infringement claim. Judge Smith stated, “In summary, although Getty Images succeed (in part) in their Trade Mark Infringement Claim, my findings are both historic and extremely limited in scope.”

The outcome of this case is likely to resonate beyond the courtroom, raising concerns for content creators and copyright owners globally. The ruling highlights ongoing anxieties regarding fair compensation for the usage of original works by AI models. Getty Images expressed its worries in a statement, urging governments, particularly the United Kingdom, to implement stricter transparency regulations to protect intellectual property.

In response to the ruling, Christian Dowell, General Counsel for Stability AI, conveyed the company’s satisfaction with the decision. He pointed out that Getty’s choice to retract most of its copyright claims during the trial resulted in a narrowed focus for the court, ultimately addressing the main copyright issues at stake.

The case underscores the complexities of copyright law in an era increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence. As companies like Getty Images continue to navigate these challenges, the ruling serves as a reminder of the evolving landscape of content ownership and utilization in the digital age.