Gruffalo illustrator considering legal action against AI firms

Axel Scheffler, illustrator of The Gruffalo, says he is seriously considering legal action against AI companies for reproducing his characters without permission. He wants firms to stop using artists’ work in this way, describing AI-generated images of the Gruffalo and mouse as clear copyright theft.

Scheffler has spoken to a lawyer in Germany, which he sees as more favourable to creators. Intellectual property lawyer Nick Buckland said a distinctive character could help a claim, but proving infringement may be difficult because AI systems learn patterns from training images. Separately, Penguin Random House and illustrator Ingo Siegner are suing OpenAI in Germany over the character The Little Dragon Coconut; a court is expected to decide that case in spring 2027. OpenAI says it discusses ways to support creativity while protecting intellectual property and allows copyright holders to submit complaints.