Getty Images v Stability AI: what next for rights-holders and the creative industries?

"This case demonstrates that old secondary infringement laws, written to combat the illegal importing of bootleg physical media, are poorly equipped to deal with the modern challenges of generative AI.  

“Many in the creative industries will be disappointed at this finding that monetising a generative AI platform in the UK, that has seemingly been trained abroad on copyright material without permission, did not amount to secondary infringement.  Whilst the decision is specific to the facts of this case, many other platforms may be trained and monetised in a similar way.

“If secondary infringement claims prove unavailable in these circumstances, and where the primary infringement occurs abroad, rights-holders in the UK may feel insufficiently protected.”

Nick's comments were published in Law360, 13 November 2025.