ByteDance is rushing to add safeguards to Seedance 2.0, its AI video tool, after strong reactions from Hollywood. The Chinese company has been accused of turning cinematic icons into "clip art" through AI.

Copyright infringement accusations

Disney and Paramount Skydance sent cease-and-desist letters to ByteDance, urging the company to end the alleged copyright infringement. The film studios claim that Seedance 2.0 has allowed users to widely share AI videos with copyrighted characters such as Spider-Man, Darth Vader, and SpongeBob on social media.

Disney's response

Disney accused ByteDance of "hijacking" its characters, complaining that Seedance treated them as if they were "free public domain clip art." The dispute highlights the legal and ethical challenges related to the use of AI in content creation and the need to protect intellectual property.