ByteDance Adds Safeguards to Seedance 2.0 Amid Hollywood IP Fights

ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, said on Monday it will add new safeguards to its AI video tool Seedance 2.0. The move comes after Hollywood studios raised alarms about copyright violations just days after the tool's launch in China. Legal threats from major players like Disney and important pushed the company to act quickly.

Background

Seedance 2.0 is an AI system that turns text prompts into short videos, up to 15 seconds long. ByteDance rolled it out earlier this week through its Jianying app for users in China. The company plans to bring it to the global CapCut app soon. This tool works much like OpenAI's Sora, letting people create video clips from simple descriptions.

The trouble started fast. Users began generating videos with famous characters from big studios. One example showed Tom Cruise fighting Brad Pitt, made with just two lines of text. Another clip had Spider-Man swinging through scenes, Darth Vader wielding his lightsaber, and even Baby Yoda from Star Wars. These videos spread quickly on social media, drawing eyes from Hollywood.

Hollywood groups saw this as a direct hit to their copyrights. The Motion Picture Association, which speaks for major studios, called it out right away. Groups like the Human Artistry Campaign and actors' union SAG-AFTRA joined in, saying the tool hurt creators everywhere. They argued it let people make fake content that looked just like real movies and shows without permission.

ByteDance had just wrapped up a deal to sell TikTok's U.S. operations, keeping a small stake in the new setup. That timing added heat, as the company faces extra scrutiny in the U.S. over data and security issues. Seedance 2.0 hit at a moment when AI tools are under fire for copying protected works.

Key Details

Studios moved fast with legal steps. Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance. It accused the company of grabbing Disney characters and making new videos with them. The letter called it a 'virtual smash-and-grab' of Disney's property.

important sent its own letter on Saturday. It pointed to videos showing characters from its franchises, saying they looked and sounded too close to the real thing. Both studios demanded ByteDance stop the activity at once.

Hollywood's Strong Words

Charles Rivkin, CEO of the Motion Picture Association, led the charge.

“In a single day, the Chinese AI service Seedance 2.0 has engaged in unauthorized use of U.S. copyrighted works on a massive scale. By launching a service that operates without meaningful safeguards against infringement, ByteDance is disregarding well-established copyright law that protects the rights of creators and underpins millions of American jobs.” – Charles Rivkin, Motion Picture Association CEO

Rhett Reese, who wrote the Deadpool movies, saw a Cruise-Pitt fight video and said it might spell the end for writers like him. SAG-AFTRA backed the studios fully, calling the tool blatant infringement.

ByteDance responded by promising changes. The company said it will strengthen safeguards to block misuse of copyrights. It did not give a timeline but stressed it takes the issues seriously. The tool lacks strong filters right now, letting users prompt real stars and characters freely.

This is not Disney's first rodeo. The studio sent a similar letter to Google over AI issues but cut a three-year deal with OpenAI for licensing. That shows studios want deals, not just bans, on AI tech.

What This Means

The safeguards could change how Seedance works. ByteDance might add filters to stop prompts with protected names or looks. It could also train the AI to avoid copying styles from big films. Users in China have full access now, but global rollout waits on these fixes.

Hollywood wants more than patches. Studios push for rules that make AI companies pay for training data or get licenses upfront. This fight tests U.S. copyright laws against tools from China. ByteDance's TikTok sale shows it knows U.S. pressure, but Seedance is a homegrown app.

For creators, the tool raises fears. Actors worry about fake videos hurting their image. Writers see scripts turned into clips without credit. Jobs in visual effects and animation could shrink if AI takes over simple tasks.

ByteDance aims to compete in the hot AI video space. Tools like Sora set a high bar, but guardrails matter. If ByteDance pulls off strong fixes, it could win trust and expand. Failure might bring lawsuits or bans.

The back-and-forth highlights bigger tensions. AI grows fast, but old laws lag. Studios protect billions in IP, while tech firms chase innovation. Deals like Disney-OpenAI point to partnerships as a path forward. ByteDance now walks that line.

Users keep testing Seedance. Some share workarounds to beat limits. Hollywood watches close, ready for more action if needed. ByteDance's next steps will shape if this tool thrives or hits roadblocks.