Digital Hollywood: The AI & Entertainment Summit
Wednesday, July 23rd, 2025
1 – 1:50 PM Eastern Time Zone
Session I: A Virtual Event
Generative AI Law: Let's Get Real - Is Copyright a Right or Does it Have Temporary Legal Status?
While the legal system marches forward, "The Industry and the Creative Communities" are still uneasy about the possible outcomes. The illustrious history of copyright infringement lawsuits are filled with fascinating results. Most recently, the Supreme Court ruled that Andy Warhol infringed on photographer Lynn Goldsmith's copyright when he created a series of his famous silk screen images based on a photograph Goldsmith shot of the late musician Prince in 1981. So it is with great interest that the “AI Training Data” lawsuits make their way through the courts, The NY Times vs. OpenAI and Microsoft; Getty Images against Stability AI; a Class Action lawsuit filed against Stability AI, Midjourney and DeviantArt; a Programmers’ Class Action against Github among others. In this session, discuss status of “Copyright Law.”
Speakers:
Peter Csathy, Chairman, Creative Media, Moderator
Avery Williams,
Partner, McKool Smith
Avery Williams is a trial lawyer specializing in complex commercial litigation and intellectual property matters. He is co-chair of McKool Smith’s trade-secret practice, and also focuses on representing clients in emerging copyright disputes concerning infringement related to AI-generated images. He is the author of McKool Smith’s AI Litigation Tracker, which provides weekly updates to monitor breaking developments related to key generative AI-focused copyright infringement-related litigations impacting the media and entertainment sectors. Avery represents both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts across the nation. His experience includes being a member of the McKool Smith trial team that secured a “Top 100 Verdict” for the developers of Canyon Ridge Resort against financial services firm Sterne Agee & Leach, and one of its former investment bankers. On the defense side, Avery’s victories include helping to secure a complete defense verdict for CenturyLink in a securities fraud suit brought by five groups of investors and four of its current and past executives who accused the company of securities fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and fraud.
Avery is recognized as a leading lawyer for commercial litigation by Best Lawyers.
