By Stuart Kerr |Updated 1 July 2025 |
When digital illustrator Priya Shah discovered her original character designs had been used to train Midjourney without her knowledge or consent, she joined a growing rebellion of artists fighting for recognition in the age of artificial intelligence. "I spent years developing my style, only to find it replicated perfectly after three simple prompts," says Shah, whose work has appeared in The Guardian and BBC animations. "This isn't inspiration—it's industrial-scale plagiarism."
Her experience reflects a seismic shift occurring across creative industries in 2025. As Midjourney's hyper-realistic AI images flood social media—from viral superhero mashups to unsettling celebrity deepfakes—a fundamental question divides artists, lawmakers and tech executives: who owns the future of creativity?
The controversy gained legal momentum earlier this year when a University of Cambridge study analysed 12 million Midjourney prompts. Researchers found 68% referenced specific living artists, 42% included copyrighted franchise names like "Marvel" or "Disney", and only 3% of users compensated original creators. Dr. Ethan Walsh, an intellectual property law professor at King's College London, describes the findings as alarming. "These systems monetise unlicensed derivatives while leaving rights holders empty-handed," he says. His team's research at the Centre for AI and Copyright found 89% of commercial AI art tools rely on copyrighted training data.
Midjourney CEO David Holz maintains his platform operates within legal boundaries. "Human artists study published works to develop their style—our machines do the same," he told Wired UK last month. This argument finds support in some unexpected quarters. Sarah Chen, accessibility lead at disability equality charity Scope, notes how AI tools have revolutionised creative expression for people with physical impairments. "We've documented motor-neuron disease patients creating gallery-worthy art through voice-to-image AI for the first time," she says.
Yet these benefits come with substantial consequences. As Live AI Wire previously reported in our investigation into AI's environmental impact, each Midjourney image consumes enough energy to charge a smartphone—a hidden cost of the AI art boom. The human toll appears equally severe. Manchester-based storyboard artist Mark Williams lost 60% of his freelance work to AI last year. "Studios now expect AI-generated drafts for free before commissioning human artists for final work," he explains. Industry body Creative UK estimates 23% of entry-level creative jobs have disappeared since 2023.
The legal landscape remains fragmented. Three landmark cases will shape the coming year: Getty Images' £1.8 billion lawsuit against Stability AI, the US Copyright Office's reconsideration of protections for AI-assisted works, and the implementation of Article 28b in the EU's groundbreaking AI Act. "Britain risks becoming a copyright backwater," warns Baroness Natalie Bennett, who is spearheading amendments to the Digital Copyright Bill. Her proposed changes would require AI companies to disclose training data sources and establish a royalty system for artists.
Some established creative institutions are adapting. Bristol's Aardman Animations, creators of Wallace and Gromit, now uses AI tools for preliminary sketches, cutting pre-production time by 40%. "The key is maintaining human oversight," says creative director Sarah Cox. "We use AI for brainstorming, but every frame that reaches audiences is touched by human hands."
As the UK Intellectual Property Office prepares new guidelines for autumn, the debate has moved beyond legal technicalities to confront existential questions about art's value. For Priya Shah, now preparing a joint lawsuit with 300 fellow artists, the fight represents more than compensation. "We're not against technological progress," she stresses. "We just believe creativity should nourish those who feed it."
With court battles looming and legislation evolving, 2025 may be remembered as the year AI art grew up—or faced its reckoning. For ongoing coverage of AI's impact on creative professions, see our report on the UK's disappearing entry-level jobs.
Stuart Kerr is Live AI Wire's senior technology correspondent. Contact: liveaiwire@gmail.com | Twitter: @liveaiwire