Musk Seeks Dismissal of Lawsuit Over Tesla's AI 'Blade Runner' Imagery

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Elon Musk's legal team is gearing up to file a motion to dismiss a lawsuit that accuses the Tesla CEO, who also leads President Donald Trump's DOGE organization, of using AI-generated images inspired by "Blade Runner" at a Tesla press event without proper copyright permissions. In a recent filing to the U.S. District Court Central District of California, Western Division, Musk's attorneys indicated that both Musk and Tesla, named as defendants, plan to seek dismissal of "all claims" with prejudice. This legal term means the case would be dismissed permanently, preventing any refiling. Alcon Entertainment, the plaintiff and the production company behind the 2017 film "Blade Runner 2049," has expressed its intent to oppose this motion, according to the filing. The lawsuit, initiated by Alcon in October, also targets Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). It alleges that Musk and WBD sought to use "Blade Runner 2049" imagery to promote Tesla's futuristic concept cars just before their unveiling on a Warner studio lot. When Alcon refused to grant the rights through WBD, the suit claims Tesla, under Musk's guidance, used an AI model to replicate the imagery without specifying which AI model was used. During the event, Musk reportedly showcased these allegedly counterfeit "Blade Runner" images while discussing the film. Alcon's complaint further alleges that it was not informed about any agreements between Tesla and WBD that should have been in place before the press event. The production company is seeking an injunction to stop Tesla from further distributing the promotional materials in question and is also pursuing unspecified damages. The complaint points out that copyright infringement under the U.S. Copyright Act can result in penalties up to $150,000 per violation. Additionally, it estimates that Tesla would have needed to spend a significant amount—ranging from the mid-six figures (at least $500,000) to possibly the eight figures ($10 million or more)—to secure a brand affiliation with "Blade Runner 2049" for its cybercab (robotaxi) at market value, had Alcon been willing to agree to such a deal. The lawsuit suggests that the copyright infringements enabled Tesla to avoid these costs.

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