Meta and Midjourney Team Up on AI Image & Video Models
▼ Summary
– Meta is partnering with Midjourney to license its AI image and video generation technology for use in future AI models and products.
– This partnership aims to help Meta compete with leading AI image and video models from companies like OpenAI, Black Forest Labs, and Google.
– Meta has pursued multiple strategies to advance in AI, including hiring top talent, investing in Scale AI, and acquiring Play AI.
– Midjourney remains an independent company with no outside investors, despite previous acquisition talks with Meta.
– Midjourney, founded in 2022, is a leader in AI image generation and recently released its first AI video model, generating significant revenue through subscriptions.
Meta has entered into a strategic partnership with Midjourney to license the startup’s advanced AI image and video generation technology, a move announced by Meta’s Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang via Threads. This collaboration aims to integrate Midjourney’s capabilities into Meta’s future AI models and consumer-facing products, strengthening the company’s position in a highly competitive field.
Wang emphasized that delivering top-tier AI experiences requires a comprehensive strategy, combining elite talent, substantial computational investment, and alliances with industry leaders. The partnership positions Meta to more effectively rival established AI imaging tools like OpenAI’s Sora, Google’s Veo, and Black Forest Lab’s Flux. Meta already offers its own AI image generator, Imagine, across platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, alongside an early-stage video creation tool called Movie Gen.
This agreement represents the latest in a series of aggressive moves by Meta to accelerate its AI development. Earlier this year, CEO Mark Zuckerberg led an extensive recruitment drive, offering top AI researchers compensation packages reaching into the millions. The company also invested heavily in Scale AI and acquired voice AI startup Play AI, signaling its intent to dominate through both internal innovation and external collaboration.
Meta had previously explored acquiring Midjourney outright, though those talks did not result in a sale. David Holz, Midjourney’s CEO, confirmed on X that the company remains fully independent and has never accepted outside investment, a rarity among leading AI firms. Founded in 2022, Midjourney quickly distinguished itself with strikingly realistic and artistic image outputs. By 2023, it was reportedly generating $200 million in annual revenue through a tiered subscription model, with plans ranging from $10 to $120 per month. The company expanded into video with the June release of its V1 model.
The announcement follows recent legal challenges faced by Midjourney, including lawsuits from Disney and Universal alleging unauthorized use of copyrighted material for AI training. Similar allegations have been directed at other AI developers, including Meta, though recent court rulings have often favored tech companies in cases related to training data.
This partnership underscores the intensifying race to lead in generative AI, where access to cutting-edge technology and talent can define market leadership. For Meta, aligning with a respected and technically sophisticated partner like Midjourney could prove crucial in delivering next-generation creative tools to billions of users.
(Source: TechCrunch)
