Meta is partnering with Midjourney to license the startup’s AI image and video generation technology. Meta Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang announced the partnership on Friday in a post on Threads. Wang stated that Meta’s research teams will collaborate with Midjourney to integrate its technology into future AI models and products.
Wang explained that delivering the best possible products will require an all-of-the-above approach. This strategy includes hiring world-class talent, pursuing an ambitious computing roadmap, and working with the best players across the industry.
This partnership could help Meta develop products that compete with leading AI image and video models, such as OpenAI’s Sora, Black Forest Lab’s Flux, and Google’s Veo. Last year, Meta introduced its own AI image generation tool, Imagine, into several of its products, including Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. The company also has an AI video generation tool, Movie Gen, which allows users to create videos from text prompts.
The licensing agreement with Midjourney represents Meta’s latest move to get ahead in the competitive AI race. Earlier this year, CEO Mark Zuckerberg went on a hiring spree for AI talent, offering some researchers compensation packages worth upwards of one hundred million dollars. The social media giant also invested fourteen billion dollars in Scale AI and acquired the AI voice startup Play AI.
Meta has held talks with several other leading AI labs about potential acquisitions. Zuckerberg even spoke with Elon Musk about joining his ninety-seven billion dollar takeover bid of OpenAI, though Meta ultimately did not join the offer and OpenAI denied Musk’s bid.
The specific terms of Meta’s deal with Midjourney remain unknown. The startup’s CEO, David Holz, stated in a post on X that his company remains independent with no investors. Midjourney is one of the few leading AI model developers that has never taken on outside funding. Reports indicate that Meta had previously talked with Midjourney about acquiring the startup.
Midjourney was co-founded in 2022 and quickly became a leader in the AI image generation space, known for its realistic and unique style. By 2023, the startup was reportedly on pace to generate two hundred million dollars in revenue. It sells subscriptions starting at ten dollars per month, with pricier tiers that offer more AI image generations for as much as one hundred and twenty dollars per month. In June, the startup released its first AI video model, V1.
Meta’s partnership with Midjourney comes just two months after the startup was sued by Disney and Universal. The lawsuit alleges that Midjourney trained its AI image models on copyrighted works. Several AI model developers, including Meta, face similar allegations from copyright holders. However, recent court cases pertaining to AI training data have sided with tech companies.