Elon Musk, Tesla, And Warner Bros. Accused Of Copyright Violation Over Blade Runner 2049 Image

According to Cointelegraph, Elon Musk, Tesla, and Warner Bros. Discovery are facing allegations of copyright infringement related to the film Blade Runner 2049. Alcon Entertainment, the producer of the 2017 dystopian film, filed a lawsuit on October 21 in a Los Angeles federal court, claiming that Tesla, Musk, and Warner Bros. used a still image from the film without permission during an event promoting Tesla's robotaxis. Alcon stated that it had denied Tesla's initial request to use the image, as it wanted to distance the film from Musk's political and social views. However, the lawsuit alleges that the parties used an AI-generated fake image resembling the original still from the movie during the event held on October 10 at Warner Bros. studio lot in Burbank. The image was reportedly shown for 11 seconds during Musk's presentation, where he awkwardly attempted to explain its relevance to Tesla's new product. Alcon's complaint describes the use of the AI image as a significant economic theft, estimating the market value of the brand affiliation to be at least in the six figures. The lawsuit also claims that the unauthorized use of the image has complicated potential car brand partnerships for an upcoming Blade Runner TV series and expressed concerns about the film being associated with Musk. Alcon emphasized that any brand considering a partnership with Tesla must consider Musk's highly politicized and sometimes controversial behavior. The company also speculated that the agreement between Tesla and Warner Bros. Discovery might have included a requirement for Tesla to affiliate its Cybercab with Warner Bros. films. During the event, Musk announced that the Cybercab would be available before 2027 and cost under $30,000. Despite Musk's promises, Tesla has yet to produce a fully autonomous vehicle that can operate without human presence. Tesla and Warner Bros. Discovery have not yet responded to requests for comment.