From Pixels To Problems: AI Image Generators And Trade Mark Risks

On 9 June 2025, the UK High Court opened proceedings in one of the most closely watched legal battles at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and intellectual property (IP). The case, brought by Getty Images against Stability AI, is expected to deliver one of the first substantive rulings on the legality of using copyrighted material in AI training datasets. The outcome of this UK trial could set a critical precedent, shaping how developers build AI models and how rights holders assert control over their works.

Against this backdrop, it is particularly timely to take a closer look at the copyright implications of AI image generator software. But is it all just about copyright and AI? Not quite. In this context, we have also taken a closer look at how AI-generated content interacts with IP such as trademarks, raising new questions about brand identity, confusion, and enforcement in an increasingly automated creative landscape.