Beijing, China — ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has pledged to enhance protections surrounding its recently launched Seedance 2.0 AI model in response to intense criticism from Hollywood over copyright violations.
In a statement provided to media outlets, ByteDance indicated its commitment to blocking users from creating content that infringes on the intellectual property of major film studios. This announcement comes after the company received cease and desist orders from entertainment giants Disney and Paramount, urging an immediate stop to their alleged infringement activities.
Disney accused ByteDance of incorporating a collection of its copyrighted characters into Seedance 2.0, while Paramount criticized the AI tool for generating lifelike renditions of its well-known franchises. The backlash highlights growing concerns within the entertainment industry regarding the potential for AI technologies to misuse established intellectual property rights.
Acknowledging the gravity of the concerns raised, ByteDance stated, “We respect intellectual property rights and have taken note of the worries surrounding Seedance 2.0.” The company added that it is actively working to bolster existing measures to curb unauthorized use of protected content and likenesses by users.
Seedance 2.0, which was unveiled last week, gained notoriety for producing realistic deepfake videos, including a viral scene pitting Tom Cruise against Brad Pitt. It also features alternative endings to popular series like “Stranger Things,” captivating audiences but raising red flags within the industry.
The Motion Picture Association expressed alarm over the rapid proliferation of unauthorized content linked to U.S. copyrights. It emphasized that ByteDance is neglecting copyright protections that safeguard creators and support countless jobs in the American economy. The organization called on ByteDance to halt its infringing activities at once.
Further amplifying the call to action, the Human Artistry Campaign—backed by members of SAG-AFTRA and the Directors Guild of America—denounced the launch of Seedance 2.0 as a threat to creative professionals. The campaign articulated that the appropriation of creators’ works in favor of AI-generated content undermines artistic integrity.
“This type of unauthorized content not only diminishes the work of human creators but also raises serious ethical issues,” said a spokesperson for the campaign. There are concerns that these deepfakes and AI-generated voice clones violate personal rights and autonomy, emphasizing the importance of legal frameworks to combat this form of infringement.
As debates around the implications of AI technology continue, the entertainment industry is vigilant, calling for swift action to protect creative work and maintain the integrity of storytelling in Hollywood.