Amazon is producing an AI-animated television series based on "The Good Advice Cupcake," a character originally created by Loryn Brantz for BuzzFeed. BuzzFeed licensed the character to Amazon without Brantz's consent, and the original creator has publicly objected to the use of AI for the adaptation.

The dispute highlights an emerging legal and ethical gray zone: when a media property is licensed to a new producer, does that license automatically include rights to generate derivative works using AI? Brantz's objection centers on both lack of consent and the use of AI to produce the animation, which she argues undermines the value of human creative work.

What This Means for Your Business

Media and entertainment companies licensing intellectual property need to clarify AI usage rights in contracts immediately. Ambiguity on whether licensees can use AI to create derivative works will generate costly disputes. Similarly, if you license IP from creators, secure explicit permission for AI-driven adaptations before production begins. This is now a material legal risk, not a technical detail.