The production company behind “Blade Runner 2049” filed a lawsuit Monday against Elon Musk and Tesla, accusing them of copyright infringement while promoting a new self-driving car.

In its lawsuit, Alcon Entertainment says Musk used AI-generated imagery mirroring scenes from its 2017 sci-fi film while presenting Tesla’s new autonomous Robotaxi at a marketing event earlier this month. Producers had denied his request to do so.

“He did it anyway,” the suit alleges, adding that the company denied Musk’s request due to the tech mogul’s “extreme political and social views” that occasionally veer into “hate speech.” Musk enthusiastically endorsed Donald Trump for president, appearing alongside him at a rally earlier this month, and has espoused transphobic views.

  • adam_y@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    The big brain move was to ask them first, thereby proving you wanted to use their IP.

    If he had just faked it anyway without asking he might have got away with it.

    Genius strategist.

    • Kusimulkku@lemm.ee
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      1 month ago

      Reminds me of Google’s thing with the Gemini name.

      Google decides to use the Gemini name for their AI stuff either knowing other company has patent or whatever on that name when it comes to AI or just doing it anyway. Google asks Patent Office to give them the name, they are told no. Then some “mysterious third party” tries to buy out the other company. They figure it is Google trying to circumvent the patent, they stop contact and just sue Google.

      I’m not sure if they decided on the name, saw it was taken and were like “yeah but we like the name so it’ll be fine” or if they’re genuinely stupid enough to first decide on the name and then they realize that oh shit

  • WalnutLum@lemmy.ml
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    1 month ago

    What’s great about lawsuits like this is you really only have to prove intent and they have a record of them asking for similar imagery.

  • some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org
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    1 month ago

    I hate this guy so much. Hope he gets run over by one of his shitty trucks in full self/driving mode. Best part is that they turn off FSD right before impact to absolve blame. Oh, poor guy got smooshed, but FSD wasn’t to blame.

        • Tangentism@lemmy.ml
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          1 month ago

          The cliff thought as much. Why else would it yeet him like that?!

          (Doesn’t sound like he was because he also held patents for an insulin pump & a wheelchair that could climb stairs so his mind was definitely working towards solving real world problems & not just reinventing public transport)

          • vrighter@discuss.tchncs.de
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            30 days ago

            the guy who invented the segway is still alive. The guy who bought his company later drove off a cliff, though it is suspected he had a heart attack while driving

  • Uriel238 [all pronouns]@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    30 days ago

    Once again the ownership class pirates freely while disparaging the common folk for violating copyright.

    It’s almost if it’s not a real law, rather something by which to disparage the proletariat.

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    1 month ago

    Abandoned city background + “you are now in mexico” filter + duster = owned by Hollywood.

    Elon sucks but so does this lawsuit.

    • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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      1 month ago

      If they asked if they can use imagery similar to or from BR2049 then they’re clearly in the wrong, which it sounds like they did. If they just made an ad and it happened to look like it, maybe not.

    • BossDj@lemm.ee
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      1 month ago

      When the image appears on the screen, he says, “we didn’t want the blade runner future. Well, maybe that cool duster he’s wearing.” So anyone there would likely assume that the image is from Blade Runner. The intent of the image was Blade Runner.

    • NutWrench@lemmy.zip
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      1 month ago

      Agreed. There’s no footage used from BR2049 or even a cheap simulation of it in his promotion. And you can’t trademark simply saying the words, “Blade Runner.”

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      1 month ago

      I really, really dislike the guy, but if he didn’t actually use imagery from the film… Does this suit actually have standing?

      C’mon guys, cripes. What are we doing here, feeding lawyers for the sake of feeding lawyers??

      • DeanFogg@lemm.ee
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        29 days ago

        I mean there was that one Robin Thicke lawsuit where it sounded nothing like a Marvin gaye song

    • ThirdWorldOrder@lemm.ee
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      1 month ago

      I had no idea you could copywrite scenery lol. How fucking stupid and dystopian is that?

      Elon is a fucking douchebag but Jesus Christ copywrite laws are just as cancerous

  • RobotToaster@mander.xyz
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    1 month ago

    They’re suing him for using vaguely cyberpunk ai generated images?

    As much as it seems like Musk is trying to make a real life cyberpunk dystopia, this seems a little silly.