Photographer Sues Fashion House Com il Po Over AI Campaign

Photographer Ben Michael Shir has filed a NIS 100,000 lawsuit against fashion house Com il Po, alleging that the brand's recent AI-generated advertising campaign, titled 'Don't Say We Didn't Know,' used his photographs without permission. Shir claims that the AI-generated images incorporate substantial elements from two of his works in his documentary series 'Pioneers.'

The lawsuit, filed in the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court, states that the campaign, promoted on Com il Po's website and social media, featured images presented as AI creations. However, Shir asserts that these images are derived from his photographs, with the original subjects placed in new contexts involving fire, smoke, riots, and security forces. One example cited involves a young man carrying a goat in a mountainous landscape, which in the campaign appears amidst fire and violence with the goat replaced by a red fuel canister.

Shir alleges that the figures were used without his knowledge, payment, or credit. He further contends that removing the subjects from their original documentary context and placing them in scenes of arson and violence infringes upon the integrity of his work and his moral rights as an artist. His lawyer, Ariel Dubinsky, stated that AI does not absolve creators of responsibility for copyright infringement and that technological innovation does not grant a license to use others' work.

This is the second lawsuit filed in response to the campaign. The Settlement Division of the World Zionist Organization is also suing Com il Po for NIS 1 million, claiming the use of its name on a campaign image harmed its reputation and public standing. Shir is seeking NIS 100,000 in damages, a permanent injunction, and the removal of the images, along with an order to preserve evidence related to the campaign's creation.