“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.” These words, attributed to Oscar Wilde, would likely evoke a chuckle from the literary figure if he were to witness the current situation involving Elon Musk. Last week, Musk faced criticism from Alex Proyas, the director of the 2004 sci-fi film I, Robot, who accused the entrepreneur of appropriating his designs for humanoid robots and self-driving vehicles. Proyas took to X, writing, “Hey Elon, can I have my designs back please,” a post that garnered over eight million views.
It appears Musk’s inspiration extends beyond Proyas’ work, as the production company behind Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 has filed a lawsuit against Musk, Tesla, and Warner Bros. Discovery, alleging copyright infringement. Alcon Entertainment claims that Musk used AI-generated imagery resembling scenes from their 2017 film during a Tesla marketing event. Notably, the producers had previously denied Musk’s request to use such footage.
The lawsuit highlights Musk’s disregard for permissions, stating, “He did it anyway.” The suit also expresses concern over being associated with Musk, citing his unpredictable and often controversial behavior. “Any prudent brand considering a partnership with Tesla must account for Musk’s erratic conduct,” the lawsuit reads.
On October 10, Musk unveiled Tesla’s fully autonomous Robotaxi at Warner Bros. Discovery’s Burbank lot. During the livestreamed event, AI-generated footage of a man in a trench coat exploring Las Vegas ruins was shown, which the lawsuit claims is a direct rip-off from Blade Runner 2049. Warner Bros. Discovery had sought permission from Alcon to use clips from the film, but the request was denied.
Musk’s reference to “Blade Runner” during his presentation further fueled the lawsuit’s allegations. Alcon Entertainment seeks an injunction to prevent further use of their film’s elements in connection with Tesla or Musk. The financial damages are yet unspecified, but the lawsuit emphasizes the substantial impact of the alleged infringement.
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