# US court hears case over AI-generated meme’s ownership rights

Digest AI · Policy & Regulation · published 2026-10-06T14:00:16Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/us-court-hears-case-over-ai-generated-memes-ownership-rights

## Summary

**Noxa**, an Indonesian teen, created *Tung Tung Tung Sahur* (Triple T) in 2025 using OpenAI’s image generator, sparking a legal battle over who owns the meme’s rights. The character, an anthropomorphized drum, became a global sensation with billions of views on YouTube and TikTok, appearing in games, cosplay, and merchandise. Mementum, a French agency representing Noxa, sued **Spyder Games LLC** and **Speedy Simulator Gaming LLC** (Do Big Studios) for using Triple T in *Steal a Brainrot* on Roblox, arguing AI-assisted work can qualify for copyright protection under certain conditions. Do Big counters that Noxa’s creation—seven prompts over 15 minutes—lacks sufficient human authorship to warrant ownership, citing US copyright law requiring human input for protection. The case tests whether AI-generated content can be trademarked or copyrighted, with implications for internet-native creativity and global IP enforcement.

## Key points

- Noxa, an Indonesian teen, created *Tung Tung Tung Sahur* in 2025 using OpenAI’s image generator, sparking a lawsuit over ownership rights
- Mementum (French agency) sued Do Big Studios for using the meme in a Roblox game, arguing AI-assisted work can qualify for copyright
- US copyright law requires human authorship, but the case tests whether sparse AI prompts (e.g., seven prompts over 15 minutes) suffice

## Why it matters

The outcome could set a precedent for how AI-generated content is protected under copyright and trademark law, affecting creators and companies relying on generative AI tools.

## Sources

1. [Who owns ‘brain rot’?: inside the international legal drama over a beloved meme](https://theguardian.com/technology/2026/oct/06/brain-rot-tung-tung-tung-sahur-noxa-openai-video) (The Guardian AI, 2026-10-06)

## Cite

Digest AI, "US court hears case over AI-generated meme’s ownership rights", 6 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/us-court-hears-case-over-ai-generated-memes-ownership-rights

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