Disney has accused Google of violating its copyrights on a massive level, claiming the company’s AI models have been generating content that looks similar to characters from Frozen, Star Wars, Marvel, and other Disney-owned franchises.
The allegations came in a cease-and-desist letter sent to Google, which The Verge reviewed. Disney argues that Google’s AI systems are producing unauthorized images and videos that closely resemble famous characters like Yoda, Darth Vader, and Groot.
The timing of the complaint is notable because Disney raised these concerns just one day before announcing a major partnership with OpenAI. That deal will allow creators using OpenAI’s Sora to generate videos featuring more than 200 characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars. Disney plans to feature some of these AI-generated videos on Disney Plus, an idea CEO Bob Iger recently hinted at.
In its letter, Disney accuses Google of operating like a “virtual vending machine” that floods the internet with infringing content while profiting from it. The company says Google has ignored months of attempts to work together on copyright protections and has failed to introduce strong safeguards across its AI tools, including Gemini, Veo, Imagen, and Nano Banana. Disney argues that Google trained these models using large amounts of copyrighted material without permission, which it says is unacceptable for commercial AI services.
Google disputes the accusations. A company spokesperson said Google has a long and positive relationship with Disney and will continue discussing concerns directly. Google also defended its AI training practices, saying it uses publicly available data from the open web and already offers tools like Content ID and Google-extended to help copyright holders control how their content is used online.
This is not the first time Disney has taken action against AI companies. Earlier this year, it warned Character.AI about similar issues, prompting the platform to remove Disney characters. Disney is also suing Midjourney for allegedly copying some of its most recognizable characters during AI training. The entertainment giant says it will not tolerate unauthorized use of its intellectual property by AI developers, signaling an increasingly aggressive stance as generative AI continues to grow.
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