An artist is suing an AI meme generator for selling his viral comic as ad templates

Philippine digital artist Elmer Saflor has sued AI meme platform Memes Apps, LLC over alleged copyright infringement.

He says the service copied his “Running Away Balloon” comic without permission and sold it to subscribers as ad-ready templates.

The complaint targets both the image reproduction and the platform’s subscription business model, seeking disclosure, damages, and limits on further use.

The case could help define whether AI meme platforms can turn viral comics into commercial ad templates under copyright law.