Carl Sagan estate sues AI firm Luma over unauthorized voice ad

Druyan-Sagan Associates, the manager of Carl Sagan’s intellectual property, sued AI startup Luma AI in the Central District of California, accusing the firm of illegally exploiting an eight-second audio excerpt of Sagan’s voice in a Facebook promotion. The complaint lists claims of copyright violation, false endorsement and common-law unfair competition, noting the clip includes Sagan’s remark about inventing the universe before making an apple pie.

The estate says it notified Luma in early February, yet the advertisement remained online, gathering more than 2.7 million views at the time of filing. Luma denied wrongdoing, but the suit alleges the company’s refusal to remove one outlet's shows willful, bad-faith conduct. Druyan-Sagan Associates is seeking a court order to halt the ad, plus damages that could encompass Luma’s profits, enhanced damages and legal costs. The case highlights ongoing tensions over AI-generated content and the protection of celebrity likenesses.