Hollywood studios and industry groups are mounting legal and public opposition to Seedance 2.0, a new AI video generator launched by ByteDance, arguing that the tool facilitates widespread copyright infringement. The dispute marks an escalation in tensions between global technology platforms and US media companies over generative video systems.
ByteDance, which recently finalised a deal to sell TikTok’s US operations while retaining a stake in the new joint venture, introduced Seedance 2.0 earlier this week. The model is currently available to Chinese users through ByteDance’s Jianying app and is expected to roll out globally via CapCut. Similar to OpenAI’s Sora, Seedance allows users to generate videos of up to 15 seconds by entering text prompts.
Criticism intensified after online users demonstrated the model’s ability to create videos featuring the likeness of public figures and copyrighted characters. A widely shared clip depicted Tom Cruise fighting Brad Pitt, prompting concerns about insufficient safeguards. The Motion Picture Association’s chief executive, Charles Rivkin, accused ByteDance of engaging in unauthorised use of US copyrighted works on a massive scale and demanded the company immediately cease its infringing activity.
Industry bodies including the Human Artistry Campaign and SAG-AFTRA echoed those concerns, describing the model as enabling blatant infringement. Reports indicate that Seedance-generated videos have included Disney-owned characters such as Spider-Man, Darth Vader and Grogu. Disney has reportedly sent a cease-and-desist letter accusing ByteDance of reproducing, distributing and creating derivative works featuring its intellectual property. Paramount has also issued a cease-and-desist notice, alleging that content generated by Seedance is often indistinguishable from its films and television shows.
The controversy underscores the mounting legal risk facing AI developers whose systems can replicate recognisable characters and likenesses. While some studios have entered licensing arrangements with AI companies, others are pursuing legal remedies as they seek to protect intellectual property rights in an evolving global technology landscape.
