Hollywood Studios Challenge ByteDance Over AI Video Tool
Major US film and television studios have demanded that ByteDance halt what they describe as large-scale copyright infringement tied to its newly launched AI video generator, Seedance 2.0.
The Motion Picture Association (MPA), representing studios including Netflix, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Universal, Paramount and Amazon MGM Studios, said the tool enabled the unauthorised creation of highly realistic video clips based on copyrighted films, television series and actors. In a statement to the BBC, the MPA said the Chinese-owned platform had engaged in “unauthorised use of US copyrighted works on a massive scale” within a single day of public exposure.
Seedance 2.0 allows users to generate short, high-production-value clips from simple text prompts, including scenes featuring recognisable actors or characters from major franchises. Some AI-generated clips have gone viral across social media platforms.
ByteDance said the material cited was produced during a limited pre-launch testing phase. The company added that it has suspended the ability to upload images of real individuals and is implementing additional safeguards to address potential copyright concerns. It said it respects intellectual property rights and is strengthening monitoring and compliance mechanisms.
The dispute underscores escalating tensions between content owners and generative AI platforms, particularly as tools become capable of producing cinematic-quality outputs with minimal technical expertise. Industry figures have warned that rapid advances in AI video generation could disrupt traditional production models, while studios argue that existing copyright protections must be enforced.
The confrontation may mark an early test of how regulators and courts address AI-generated derivative works, particularly in cross-border contexts involving US intellectual property and Chinese technology platforms.
