On 4 November 2025, the High Court of London issued a ruling in which Stability AI, creator of the Stable Diffusion model, won a significant legal battle against Getty Images.

The Court dismissed Getty Images main claims of copyright infringement, ruling that it was not proven that the training of the Stable Diffusion model took place in the UK, and that the model itself does not constitute a “copied work,” as it neither stores nor reproduces images. Stability AI argued that the training was carried out mainly in the United States, resulting in unclear jurisdiction for the UK court.

At the same time, the Court recognized partial liability for trademark infringement, since some generated images displayed Getty watermarks. However, no penalties were imposed, as Stability AI cooperated to prevent the recurrence of the issue.

The decision marks a milestone in case law regarding artificial intelligence and creators’ rights, as it establishes:
• The limits of liability for training AI models – when training occurs outside the country, jurisdiction and responsibility remain unclear.
• The definition of “copying” in the context of AI – the Court accepted that extracting statistical patterns from data does not constitute copying a work.
• The need for effective protection of creators against the use of their works for AI model training.

Source: https://opi.gr/en/news/6448/