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The policy prohibits generating content that may violate intellectual property rights and separately prohibits attempting to create content in the style of a known living artist.
This analysis describes what Runway's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
The prohibition on content in the style of a known living artist represents a notable policy position in the generative AI context, engaging unsettled questions under copyright law and personality rights doctrines that are the subject of active litigation and regulatory attention as of the document's publication date.
Interpretive note: The scope of the living artist style prohibition is not defined in the document, and the legal standards governing copyright protection for artistic style in AI-generated content remain unsettled in U.S. and EU jurisdictions.
Under these terms, users are prohibited from using Runway's tools to generate content that may infringe intellectual property rights or that replicates the style of a known living artist. Violation of either prohibition is subject to account suspension under the policy's general enforcement clause.
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"Content that may violate intellectual property rights. Attempts to create content in the style of a known, living artist.Excerpt from Runway's Usage Policy
(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: The prohibition on content that may violate intellectual property rights engages the Copyright Act and, in the EU, the Copyright in the Digital Single Market Directive. The living artist style prohibition implicates right of publicity law, which varies significantly by state in the U.S., and potentially moral rights frameworks applicable in EU jurisdictions. Copyright protection for artistic style as distinct from specific expression is legally unsettled, and multiple lawsuits against generative AI platforms are currently proceeding in U.S. federal courts. The U.S. Copyright Office has issued guidance on AI-generated works but has not resolved the style question definitively. (2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The intellectual property prohibition is operationally broad but legally consistent with platform standard practice. The living artist style prohibition is more unusual as a policy commitment and may create ambiguity for users regarding what constitutes a prohibited 'style' versus permissible creative influence. The enforceability of the underlying copyright claim for artistic style remains legally contested. (3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: Right of publicity protections vary significantly across U.S. states, with California and New York providing stronger protections. EU member states provide moral rights protections for artists that may interact with this prohibition. The legal standards applicable to AI-generated content in the style of living artists are evolving in both U.S. and EU jurisdictions. (4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Enterprise customers using Runway for commercial content production should assess how the living artist style prohibition and IP clause interact with their intended use cases and downstream licensing obligations. The policy does not define what constitutes a 'known, living artist' or specify how Runway evaluates potential IP violations, which creates practical compliance uncertainty for business users. (5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Compliance teams should evaluate whether Runway's IP and living artist prohibitions require modifications to content review workflows for commercially produced AI-generated assets. Legal teams should monitor ongoing U.S. and EU litigation and regulatory guidance regarding AI-generated content and copyright, as the legal standards applicable to these prohibitions remain unsettled.
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The prohibition on content in the style of a known living artist represents a notable policy position in the generative AI context, engaging unsettled questions under copyright law and personality rights doctrines that are the subject of active litigation and regulatory attention as of the document's publication date.
Under these terms, users are prohibited from using Runway's tools to generate content that may infringe intellectual property rights or that replicates the style of a known living artist. Violation of either prohibition is subject to account suspension under the policy's general enforcement clause.
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