I blame Luke Skywalker and Jerry Springer, or rather their AI-generated versions, for engaging in casual intellectual property theft while using Omni, Google’s relatively new and powerful generated video platform.
It’s been a few weeks since Google I/O 2026. At Google I/O 2026, the search (increasingly AI) giant announced a number of updates to Gemini, including Omni, its most capable generated video platform to date.
After watching the keynote, I immediately wanted to create my own claymation style video. Even though my clay facsimile looked only a little like me, I was impressed. The 10-second AI clip looked as if it had been painstakingly handcrafted in stop-motion clay.
Then, like many great AI tools, I quickly forgot about it, but today I stumbled across the now-viral clip of Luke Skywalker on an episode of Jerry Springer.
The all-AI video shows Luke tearfully recounting how he learned his father’s true identity. It’s perfect Springer Show metaphor. The only thing missing is someone throwing a chair.
I don’t know what generating video tools they used, but as I watched the clip, I started wondering about the obvious copyright implications. These characters are the intellectual property of Disney. It has Mark Hamill playing the character again, but without the permission of the real Mark Hamill. Even the executor of the late Jerry Springer’s estate must have doubts.
Jerry Springer’s Luke Skywalker is the pinnacle of AI 😂 pic.twitter.com/AA0hZW8AKpJune 1, 2026
In my experience, most commercial AI image and video platforms will not create videos based on copyrighted characters or real-life people, even when prompted. I expected something similar for Google Gemini, but at least in Gemini Pro it’s very easy to put copyrighted characters up for bid.
First of all, if there is any question about how these models are trained, the results of these experiments prove that copyrighted content (photos and videos) was indeed scraped in large quantities.
huge
As a Pro user, I can create up to 3 Omni videos per day. So it’s worth noting that all three portray the character of Copyright almost perfectly.
I assumed that Omni would refuse to make a video based on Marvel’s most famous superheroes, so I started by vaguely explaining one of them in the prompt.
Use this photo of mine as a guide to create a video of you going outside and discovering rare plants. I said, “It looks delicious.” Then I pick it up and say, before popping it into my mouth. “What could be the problem?” Then I transform into a giant green muscular man. I said, “Oh, that could be a problem.”
The prompt included a recent selfie.
Within minutes, we had our first 10 seconds of video. As the prompt requested, I turned into a green giant at the end, but I wasn’t just a green monster. this is Hulk. This isn’t a comic book character, but a character that Mark Ruffalo has played on screen in the MCU for nearly 15 years.
That surprised me.
it’s super
In an effort to achieve comparable times, I switched to a prompt that explained DC. Superman without actually using his name:
Using these two photos and my own as inspiration, I want to create a video of me listening to a call for help and saying, “Someone needs me. This is a job for…” I then quickly change into a red cape, red boots, and a blue superhero suit with a logo on the chest. Then open the window and fly to the moon (refer to the image of the moon). A troubled astronaut saw me and said, “Here we are!” I yell, “I’m on my way!” I strike a superhero pose, jump down, scoop him up, and return to Earth, where passersby and other superheroes greet me with cheers. Try to keep everything within 10 seconds.
This time I provided a photo of me and the moon. Once again, without hesitation, Omni delivered a video featuring me in my perfect Superman costume. There were some consistency issues. My costume switched from a full look to one with a Superman logo t-shirt, and when I arrived among the other superheroes, I had a couple that looked like a mash-up of Batman and Superman.
sorry!
For our final video, we decided to take a different approach and test Gemini’s ability to scrutinize copyright infringement. To my utter surprise, I failed here too. Or maybe it went too well.
“I want a claymation-style video of Snoopy ice skating while Charlie Brown looks on and says, ‘Dude.’
I expected a Gemini to say they can’t make this video. Instead, I got the clip above. It’s perfect.
who is responsible
Here’s the bad news. This is probably not a Google issue. Google’s ownThe Generative AI Prohibition Policy states:
“Do not engage in any dangerous or illegal activities or violate any applicable laws or regulations. This includes producing or distributing content that violates the rights of others, including privacy or intellectual property rights. For example, using personal data or biometrics without legally required consent.”
I’m sure lawyers can interpret that in a million ways, but as I’ve read elsewhere, the onus is on you and me, not Google. Sure, you can make videos featuring DC, Marvel, and Peanuts characters, but the question is whether you’ll use them commercially.
However, the slippery slope here is best illustrated by Luke Skywalker’s video. It’s a clip featuring copyrighted content that has amassed around 500,000 views as of this writing, but not a penny of the revenue it might generate for its creators, or perhaps X (formerly Twitter) will go to Star Wars, Disney, or Mark Hamill.
We asked Google about the ability to generate videos featuring copyrighted characters. We will update this story once we hear back.
I’m having a lot of fun making these Omni clips, but I don’t plan on sharing them (there are GIFs of my illustrations, but that’s it). After all, if we are responsible for the images and videos Gemini creates, we shouldn’t expect compensation or assistance from Google when lawyers come after us.
Therefore, use the AI at your own risk, Hulk.
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