Good News Everyone! Getty Images vs. The AI Apocalypse (Maybe?)

A Lawsuit? Oh My Yes!

Good news everyone! It seems Getty Images in their infinite wisdom (and desire to protect their bottom line I suspect) is embroiled in a legal kerfuffle with Stability AI. Apparently these AI whippersnappers are using copyrighted material to train their models. It's like teaching a robot to play the Holophonor – beautiful in theory but bound to end in tears (and possibly the destruction of all music as we know it). As I always say: 'I don't want to live on this planet anymore,' especially if it's overrun by AI generated stock photos!

Stealing? In MY Good Future?

Craig Peters the head honcho at Getty Images claims these AI companies are just being naughty stealing copyrighted material under the pretense of innovation. He argues they're 'turning those services right back on existing commercial markets,' which if true sounds suspiciously like something Bender would cook up. 'Move fast and break things,' he says they preach which is precisely why I keep my inventions locked away in a lead lined box. You never know what side effects you are going to get! Remember the Smell O Scope? I certainly do...

Innovation or Infringement? Discuss!

Now the AI folks are whining that making them pay for content will 'kill innovation.' To that I say: Horse feathers! I once argued the same thing about charging for my Smell O Scope patents but it turns out people prefer not to smell Uranus. Who knew? Getty is taking them to court in both the U.K. and U.S. claiming Stability AI copied a whopping 12 million images without permission. That’s enough to make even Professor Wernstrom do a double take!

Fair Use? More Like Foul Play!

Stability AI is playing the 'fair use' card arguing that their use of copyrighted material is transformative. Transformative you say? Just like when I transformed the Planet Express ship into a giant atom! Technically it was still a ship just… smaller. They claim they're adding new expression but I suspect it's more like adding a filter and calling it art. 'Shut up and take my money!' is what they want you to say when they've generated a picture of a cat playing poker but at what cost? AT WHAT COST?!

The New York Times Enters the Chat!

Getty isn’t alone in this fight. Even The New York Times is throwing punches at OpenAI and record labels are attacking AI music generators. It's a regular legal donnybrook! Part of the reason Getty is focusing on Stability AI is simply because lawsuits are 'extraordinarily expensive.' Even for a company like Getty chasing every infringement is like trying to catch neutrinos in a butterfly net. Futile and possibly dangerous.

The Future is (Maybe) Safe For Now!

So the battle rages on. Getty is spending millions Stability AI is digging in its heels and I'm just hoping this doesn't lead to another robot uprising. Peters admits it's a tough fight filled with legal hurdles and geographic complexities. But he believes the facts are on their side. The initial trial is set for June 9th. Fingers crossed that this all ends before Bender starts using AI to generate new beer recipes. That's a future no one wants to live in! As I always say: 'To shreds you say?' Yes...very unfortunate.