Meta announced a new licensing agreement with Midjourney, giving the social media company access to the startup’s AI image and video generation models. The collaboration was revealed by Alexandr Wang, Meta’s Chief AI Officer, in a post on X.

Wang said Meta’s research teams will work directly with Midjourney, describing the move as part of an “all-of-the-above approach” to building competitive AI products. “To ensure Meta is able to deliver the best possible products for people it will require taking an all-of-the-above approach,” Wang wrote. “This means world-class talent, ambitious compute roadmap, and working with the best players across the industry.”

The partnership positions Meta to compete with other advanced AI image and video models, including OpenAI’s Sora, Google’s Veo, and Black Forest Lab’s Flux.

Meta already offers Imagine, its in-house AI image generator integrated into Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, as well as Movie Gen, a tool for video creation from text prompts. Partnering with Midjourney could accelerate improvements in both areas.

The Midjourney deal is part of Meta’s broader AI expansion. Earlier this year, CEO Mark Zuckerberg pursued a high-profile hiring spree, offering AI researchers compensation packages reportedly worth more than $100 million.

Meta also made major investments, including $14 billion in Scale AI, and acquired the voice technology startup Play AI. The company has also held talks with several AI labs, and Zuckerberg reportedly discussed joining Elon Musk’s $97 billion takeover bid of OpenAI, though Meta ultimately declined.

While acquisition talks with Meta were reported by Upstarts Media, Midjourney CEO David Holz confirmed in a post on X that his company remains independent. Midjourney has never taken on outside investors, distinguishing it from most other AI model developers.

Founded in 2022, the startup quickly gained traction for its distinctive, highly realistic image generation. By 2023, it was on track to bring in $200 million in revenue through its subscription-based model. Prices range from $10 per month to $120 per month, with higher tiers offering increased image generation capacity.

In June, Midjourney expanded into video, launching its first AI video model, V1.

The partnership arrives as Midjourney faces a lawsuit from Disney and Universal, which allege the startup used copyrighted works to train its AI models. Similar cases have been filed against other companies, including Meta.

So far, recent court rulings on AI training data have largely sided with technology firms, though the legal environment remains unsettled.

Q: What did Meta announce about Midjourney?
A: Meta confirmed a licensing agreement with Midjourney to integrate its AI image and video technology into Meta’s future products.

Q: Why is this partnership significant?
A: It strengthens Meta’s position against rivals like OpenAI’s Sora and Google’s Veo, while enhancing its own tools such as Imagine and Movie Gen.

Q: How much revenue does Midjourney generate?
A: Reports indicate Midjourney was on pace to generate $200 million in 2023, driven by subscription plans ranging from $10–$120 per month.

Q: Has Meta tried to acquire Midjourney?
A: Yes, according to Upstarts Media, Meta explored acquiring the startup, though CEO David Holz has confirmed Midjourney remains independent with no outside investors.

Q: What legal issues surround Midjourney?
A: The startup faces a lawsuit from Disney and Universal, who claim it trained AI models on copyrighted works. Similar suits have been filed against other AI developers.

Meta’s partnership with Midjourney underscores the escalating competition in AI image and video generation. By combining its own research with Midjourney’s proven models, Meta is signaling its intent to move faster in a market where OpenAI, Google, and other rivals already lead.

For Midjourney, the deal provides industry validation while maintaining independence, while opening the door to broader adoption through Meta’s massive user base. For Meta, it marks another high-profile step in its multibillion-dollar push to secure a foothold in the next era of AI-powered media.

This collaboration signals a new phase in the AI race, where partnerships may prove just as decisive as raw research power.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.