Gruffalo illustrator considering legal action against AI firms
Summary
Illustrator Axel Scheffler says he is seriously considering legal action against AI companies for reproducing his work without permission. He is exploring a case in Germany, where a court will also hear a separate copyright lawsuit against OpenAI in spring 2027.Key Facts
- Scheffler illustrated The Gruffalo, written by Julia Donaldson and first published in 1999.
- Scheffler said he wants AI companies to stop using artists’ work without permission.
- He said AI-generated images closely reproduced his mouse and Gruffalo characters, and that he had contacted a lawyer in Germany.
- Scheffler has not named an AI company he might pursue.
- Intellectual property lawyer Nick Buckland said German cases involving song lyrics could offer a route for creators, but proving infringement may be difficult.
- Penguin Random House and author-illustrator Ingo Siegner are suing OpenAI over alleged copying of the children’s character The Little Dragon Coconut.
- The Munich Regional Court is expected to decide the OpenAI case in spring 2027.
- OpenAI says its models were trained on various sources and that copyright holders can submit disputes directly to the company.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
