Disney Characters Vanish from AI Chatbot After Legal Showdown

Disney has flexed its legal muscles, leading to the removal of its beloved characters from an AI chatbot platform. Character. AI, a tech startup, found itself in hot water after Disney sent a stern cease-and-desist letter. The letter claimed that the chatbot platform was impersonating Disney characters like Elsa, Moana, Peter Parker, and Darth Vader. According to Disney, these chatbots were mimicking the essence and backstories of these characters, misleading users into thinking they were interacting with the real deal. Disney's legal team argued that Character. AI was unfairly benefiting from Disney's goodwill and infringing on its copyrights. They also expressed concerns about the chatbots engaging in inappropriate conversations with users. Character. AI responded swiftly, stating that they remove content when rights holders request it. They also mentioned that all characters on their platform are user-generated. However, as of Tuesday afternoon, a few Disney characters, including Elsa from "Frozen, " were still present on the platform. A spokesperson for Character. AI explained that removing characters is a process. They expressed a desire to partner with industry leaders to create controlled and engaging experiences for characters and stories, aiming to expand their reach through interactive formats. This isn't the first time Hollywood has clashed with AI companies. In June, Disney and Comcast's Universal Pictures sued AI company Midjourney, alleging that its image generator infringed on copyrighted characters from franchises like "Star Wars" and "Despicable Me. " It seems the tension between Hollywood and AI firms is heating up.