The illustrator for the widely loved Gruffalo children’s books, Alex Scheffler, is considering pursuing several AI companies for alleged widespread copyright infringement.
It has been reported that Scheffler is deliberating whether to establish his claims in his native Germany, as national German copyright laws balance favourably towards rightsholders, making remedy relatively more straightforward compared to other territories. For instance, several recent claims involving AI companies accused of copyright infringement have been heard in the German courts, with the courts often finding in favour of claimants. However, reliable legal precedent regarding AI companies and copyright infringement is not yet established in the German courts, with claims still being decided on their individual merits. Therefore, Scheffler’s prospective claims would not carry any guarantees of success.
Scheffler reportedly wishes to commence his claims not for the purposes of financial remedy but to establish precedent for the protection of artists and owners of copyright works against AI companies in the future. Whether he does proceed, and what the final outcome would be, is still to be determined; given the particular fame surrounding the Gruffalo books, rightsholders would surely be keen to observe further developments in this matter.
If you have any questions on the above, or if you need any advice or support in respect of your own Intellectual Property, please do not hesitate to contact the team at McDaniels Law on 0191 281 4000 or legal@mcdanielslaw.com.
