ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, has announced plans to enhance protections against unauthorized use of intellectual property (IP) in its new artificial intelligence (AI) video creator. This decision comes after facing legal challenges from major U.S. film studios, including Disney.
The Chinese tech firm recently unveiled its AI model, Seedance 2.0, which quickly gained traction in China. This tool allows users to create videos based on short prompts, with some content going viral on social media. ByteDance’s AI system, comparable to DeepSeek, has impressed users with its ability to generate cinematic narratives.
Disney reportedly sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance, accusing the company of using copyrighted characters to develop Seedance 2.0 without permission. The letter alleged that ByteDance included characters from franchises like Star Wars and Marvel without authorization, presenting them as if they were public domain. It also claimed that Seedance 2.0 was producing derivative works featuring characters such as Spider-Man and Darth Vader.
In response, ByteDance stated that it is working on reinforcing existing safeguards to prevent users from creating unauthorized content involving protected intellectual property and likenesses. While specific details of these measures were not disclosed, the company aims to address the concerns raised by Disney and other studios.
Paramount Skydance also issued a similar cease-and-desist letter, alleging IP infringement by ByteDance. Disney has previously pursued similar claims against Character.AI for unauthorized character use. In a separate development, Disney recently reached a licensing agreement with OpenAI, permitting the startup to include characters from Star Wars, Pixar, and Marvel in its Sora video generator.