Meta has announced a deal with AI company Midjourney to license its technology for image and video-generating models. The goal is to expand Meta’s AI product offerings to platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger.
Alexandr Wang, Meta’s Chief AI Officer, announced that the collaboration will directly integrate Midjourney’s aesthetic technology into future Meta AI models and products.
This approach may enable Meta to compete more effectively in the rapidly expanding AI creative field with OpenAI and Google.
Licensing Midjourney’s AI advances Meta’s visual creativity
Unlike purchases that risk cultural confrontations, Meta’s license agreement allows tight collaboration while maintaining Midjourney’s independence. Midjourney, which is noted for its unusual AI-generated pictures and recently debuted video approach, is self-funded and has no investors.
Wang emphasised that combining “world-class talent, ambitious compute roadmap, and industry partnerships” is key to delivering superior AI tools. By licensing Midjourney’s advanced technology, Meta expects to boost creative AI features that power image and video generation, potentially revolutionising content creation on its social platforms.
Midjourney’s AI technology will complement Meta’s current AI capabilities, such as Imagine for image development and Movie Gen for film creation. This collaboration mirrors a larger industry trend in which tech behemoths favour strategic collaborations over outright acquisitions to drive innovation while mitigating risks.
Midjourney’s models, particularly its latest V7 image model and V1 video model, have improved the ability to turn word cues into artistic and realistic media.
Challenges and opportunities in AI licensing
Meta’s decision to collaborate closely with Midjourney through licensing is consistent with an industry wary of increased legal scrutiny over AI training data, with litigation targeting unauthorised use of copyrighted content. Meta and Midjourney have also faced such claims.
Licensing spreads risk and promotes collaboration across AI labs, allowing Meta to expand its AI ecosystem without incurring complete legal liability.
Along with its vast investments in AI talent and startups like Scale AI, Meta has recently taken this licensing relationship as one of its latest steps to grow its AI goals. Thanks to Midjourney’s well-known aesthetic technology, Meta is now able to offer cutting-edge AI picture and video services specially designed for billions of users around the world.