ByteDance's Seedance 2.0 Sparks Hollywood Firestorm Over AI Copyright as Studios Issue Legal Threats
ByteDance, the Chinese technology giant behind TikTok, is facing a full-scale revolt from Hollywood after its new artificial intelligence video generator, Seedance 2.0, produced viral clips featuring copyrighted characters and celebrity likenesses without authorization. Disney, the Motion Picture Association, and actors' union SAG-AFTRA have all issued sharp condemnations, with Disney reportedly sending a cease-and-desist letter accusing ByteDance of committing a "virtual smash-and-grab" of its intellectual property. The confrontation, which escalated rapidly over the course of just a few days following Seedance 2.0's release on February 12, represents one of the most significant flashpoints yet in the growing war between AI companies and the creative industries. ByteDance responded on Monday by pledging to "strengthen current safeguards" on the tool, though it declined to provide specifics on what those measures would entail. The dispute raises urgent questions about the future of copyright law in an era when a few lines of text can generate Hollywood-quality video content. The episode also exposes a deepening fault line in the entertainment industry's relationship with AI: major studios are simultaneously fighting unauthorized use of their content while striking lucrative licensing deals with some AI companies. Disney itself invested $1 billion in OpenAI last year and granted access to 200 characters from its Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars franchises for use in OpenAI's Sora video generator — a stark contrast to its aggressive legal posture toward ByteDance.