Midjourney License: Commercial Use, Copyright & Terms

If you’re a lover of art, you might have heard of Midjourney, an AI platform that generates amazing art with just a few words.

With Midjourney, users can easily create beautiful AI-generated images.

However, most users are not familiar with the Midjourney license, which outlines the terms and conditions for using the platform and the images generated on it.

In this article, we’ll discuss the Midjourney license, how it works, and what it means for users.

What is the Midjourney License?

The Midjourney License is the agreement that users accept when they use the platform to generate images or other assets. The license grants certain rights and imposes certain restrictions on how users can use these assets. It’s important to note that the type of license a user gets depends on their subscription plan. Midjourney has three paid subscription tiers: Free Trial, Basic Plan, Standard Plan, and Pro Plan. Each subscription plan includes general commercial usage terms and an allotted number of fast hours to generate images.

For free users (those on the Free Trial plan), their usage rights are governed by the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). This means that they can use the images for any non-commercial purpose as long as they give credit to Midjourney and link back to the Midjourney website. Free users can also modify and remix the images as long as they share them under the same license. Non-commercial purposes include a variety of use cases that aren’t revenue-generating, such as personal, educational, research, and artistic expression.

For paid subscribers, their usage rights are governed by the General Commercial Terms. This means that they can use their Midjourney image assets for any purpose, including commercial purposes, as long as they comply with certain conditions. Paid subscribers must not claim ownership or authorship of the images or imply any endorsement by Midjourney. They also cannot use Midjourney-generated assets in any way that is unlawful, defamatory, obscene, harmful, or infringing on the rights of others. Additionally, they cannot use the images or platform in any way that could harm or interfere with Midjourney’s services, systems, or networks.

If a user is a larger business making more than $1,000,000 in gross revenue per year, they must purchase the Pro plan to use the generated images commercially.

It’s important to note that in February 2023, the US Copyright Office stated that AI-created images cannot be copyrighted. This impacts images generated by platforms such as Midjourney, Dall-E, and Stable Diffusion. This means that users cannot copyright their Midjourney images, and they do not have any exclusive claim on the works that they generate on the platform, as well as the works of others. For all Midjourney tiers below the Pro Plan, images are made public via the community website and Discord. This means that any other Midjourney user can use a generated image for their own personal or business projects without any repercussions.

Commercial Use Rights for Midjourney Images

Commercial use refers to any use of an image for the purpose of promoting or selling a product or service. For example, if a business uses an image from Midjourney to create an advertisement, brochure, or website that promotes their product or service, they are using the image for commercial use. Midjourney offers two types of licenses for commercial use: Standard License and Extended License.

general commercial terms midjourney

The “General Commercial Terms” are a set of conditions that govern the use of Midjourney’s AI-generated images for commercial purposes. If you are a paid subscriber to Midjourney, you can use your generated image assets for commercial purposes, subject to certain conditions.

These conditions include not claiming ownership or authorship of the images or implying any endorsement by Midjourney, not using the images or platform in any way that is unlawful or infringing on the rights of others, and not using them in any way that could harm or interfere with Midjourney’s services, systems, or networks.

If you are not a paid subscriber, you can use the images for non-commercial purposes, as long as you give credit to Midjourney and link back to their website.

Standard License

The Standard License is the default license that comes with every Midjourney image and is included in the cost of the image. This license allows you to use the image for commercial purposes, including in advertisements, websites, and marketing materials. However, there are several restrictions that you must be aware of when using an image with a Standard License.

Firstly, the Standard License is limited to a certain number of impressions. Impressions refer to the number of times an image is viewed by an audience. Once you reach the limit of impressions allowed by the license, you must purchase additional licenses or upgrade to the Extended License.

Secondly, the Standard License is limited to a specific audience size. The audience size refers to the number of people who will see the image. If you intend to use the image for an audience larger than the license allows, you must purchase additional licenses or upgrade to the Extended License.

Thirdly, the Standard License does not allow you to use the image in products for resale. If you intend to use the image in products for resale, such as t-shirts, posters, or calendars, you must purchase the Extended License.

Finally, the Standard License does not allow you to use the image in any defamatory, obscene, or unlawful manner. If you intend to use the image in any such manner, you may be liable for legal action.

Extended License

The Extended License is an additional license that you can purchase for an additional fee. This license allows you to use the image for commercial purposes without any restrictions on audience size or the number of impressions. Additionally, the Extended License allows you to use the image in products for resale.

However, there are still some limitations to the Extended License. For example, you cannot use the image in any defamatory, obscene, or unlawful manner. Additionally, the Extended License does not grant you exclusive rights to the image. Other users can still license the image and use it for commercial purposes.

Midjourney License for Free Users

Midjourney offers a free membership plan for users who do not require access to the full library of images and do not require the ability to use images for commercial purposes. The free membership plan allows users to download a limited number of images per month and use them for personal or non-commercial purposes.

Images downloaded with the free membership plan come with a Midjourney Standard License. Therefore, users must adhere to the same licensing restrictions as paid users, including restrictions on the number of impressions, audience size, and use in products for resale.

Midjourney License for Paid Memberships

Midjourney offers several paid membership plans for users who require access to the full library of images and the ability to use images for commercial purposes. Paid memberships come with a set number of image downloads per month and allow users to download images with either a Standard License or an Extended License.

Midjourney Copyright Overview

In February 2023, the US Copyright Office made a significant statement regarding AI-generated images. They stated that AI-created images cannot be copyrighted. This has a significant impact on images created on platforms like Midjourney, Dall-E, and Stable Diffusion.

What does this mean for Midjourney users? Well, it means that you cannot claim copyright over the images that you create on the platform. However, this does not mean that you have no rights over your creations. Midjourney is very clear on this topic in their Terms of Service.

Midjourney Terms and Conditions, User Image Rights

As a Midjourney user, you forfeit any exclusive claim on works that you generate on the platform, as well as the works of others. This means that any images created on Midjourney are not owned by the user who created them, nor are they owned by Midjourney. Instead, they are considered to be in the public domain.

For all Midjourney tiers below the Pro Plan, images are made public via the community website and Discord. This means that any other Midjourney user can use your generated images for their own personal or business projects without any repercussions.

While this may seem like a disadvantage for users, it is important to note that generative AI technology is still in its early stages. As such, there is a lot of experimentation and exploration happening in the field, and the lack of copyright protection for AI-generated images can actually be a positive thing.

For example, it allows for a more collaborative approach to digital art creation. Artists can build on each other’s work, remixing and modifying existing images to create something entirely new. This can lead to a more vibrant and dynamic creative community.

Additionally, the lack of copyright protection can help prevent the creation of “walled gardens” of digital art, where certain artists or platforms try to control access to and ownership of certain images or styles. This can stifle creativity and limit the potential of generative AI technology.

Are midjourney images copyrighted?

It depends on who took the mid-journey images and whether they hold the copyright to them. If the images were taken by you or someone you have permission from, then you likely hold the copyright to them.

However, if the images were taken by someone else, such as a professional photographer or a passenger on a shared journey, they would hold the copyright to the images unless they have explicitly transferred the copyright to you or given you permission to use the images in a certain way.

It’s always best to check the copyright status of any images you want to use before using them, to avoid any potential legal issues. You can usually find information about copyright on the photographer’s or website’s terms of use or by contacting the copyright holder directly.

is midjourney royalty free

Whether mid-journey images are royalty-free or not depends on the specific license or permission you have to use them.

If you have obtained the images under a royalty-free license or agreement, then you are free to use them without paying any additional royalties or fees. However, it’s important to carefully review the terms of the license or agreement to ensure you are using the images in a way that is permitted under the license.

On the other hand, if you do not have a license or permission to use the images, or if the license is not royalty-free, you may be required to pay royalties or fees to use the images.

It’s always best to verify the terms of use and any licensing agreements before using any mid-journey images to ensure that you are not violating any copyright or licensing agreements.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while the lack of copyright protection for AI-generated images may seem like a disadvantage for Midjourney users, it is actually a positive thing in many ways. It allows for a more collaborative and open approach to digital art creation, which can lead to a more vibrant and dynamic creative community. Additionally, it can help prevent the creation of walled gardens of digital art, which can limit the potential of generative AI technology.

However, it is important for Midjourney users to be aware of the implications of the Midjourney license and to understand their rights and obligations as users of the platform. While the license may seem daunting at first, it is important to read and understand it fully to ensure that you are using Midjourney and its generated images in a responsible and legal way.

Overall, Midjourney is an exciting and innovative platform that is helping to push the boundaries of generative AI technology. By understanding the Midjourney license and the implications of the lack of copyright protection for AI-generated images, users can fully take advantage of everything the platform has to offer and contribute to a thriving and collaborative creative community.