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Getty Images faces London AI firm in court
Getty Images is challenging a UK court ruling in its copyright dispute with London-based Stability AI. The appeal centres on whether a model trained abroad on copyrighted images can count as an “infringing copy” when brought into the UK, even if it does not store those images.
Getty alleges Stability AI used millions of its images to train Stable Diffusion without permission. Stability argues the images were downloaded and stored outside the UK, so UK copyright law does not apply. A High Court judgment largely favoured Stability; Getty won only a limited trademark claim relating to older models and isolated examples. The appeal is being heard over two days, as Getty also pursues restructuring after filing for US bankruptcy last month.
In short
- Getty is appealing a largely unfavourable ruling in its case against Stability AI.
- The dispute concerns UK copyright law and models trained overseas.
- Getty’s limited trademark win covered older models and isolated examples.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Getty’s strongest case is that UK copyright protection would be weakened if a model trained on copyrighted images abroad can be brought into the country and used without permission. It argues that the law should address the practical effects of that training, even if the system does not retain the original images, while recognising creators’ interests in controlling and being paid for use of their work.
The case against
Stability AI’s strongest case is that UK copyright law should not reach training and storage that took place abroad, particularly where the model does not contain copies of the images. Extending the law to cover a model brought into the UK could create uncertainty about the territorial limits of copyright and impose liability beyond what the legislation clearly provides.
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