ByteDance Faces Copyright Clashes Over New AI Video Tool
Chinese tech behemoth ByteDance is facing mounting pressure from Hollywood’s elite as its new artificial intelligence-powered video creation tool, Seedance 2.0, allegedly infringes on intellectual property rights. The company has pledged to enhance safeguards on the platform following stern warnings and legal action from major entertainment corporations.
Seedance 2.0 allows users to generate realistic videos from text prompts. However, early examples circulating online have showcased copyrighted characters and celebrity likenesses, triggering significant concerns over intellectual property violations, particularly within the U.S. market.
“ByteDance respects intellectual property rights, and we have heard the concerns regarding Seedance 2.0,” a ByteDance spokesperson stated. “We are taking steps to strengthen current safeguards as we work to prevent the unauthorized use of intellectual property and likeness by users.”
This announcement comes in the wake of a strong rebuke from industry bodies like the Motion Picture Association (MPA), which represents Hollywood heavyweights including Netflix, Paramount Global, Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. Discovery. The MPA issued a public statement demanding ByteDance immediately cease “infringing activity.”
Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the MPA, emphasized the scale of the alleged infringement. “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,” he stated. “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.”
Axios reported that Disney, a member of the MPA, sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance, accusing the company of distributing and reproducing its intellectual property through Seedance 2.0 without authorization. The letter allegedly claims that ByteDance had pre-loaded Seedance with a library of copyrighted characters, presenting them as public domain assets.
This is not the first time Disney has taken a firm stance on AI and copyright. In September, the company issued a similar warning to AI startup Character.AI regarding the unauthorized use of its characters. Notably, Disney has also been exploring AI collaborations, having recently entered into a licensing agreement with OpenAI to utilize its characters from franchises like Star Wars, Pixar, and Marvel in OpenAI’s Sora video generator.
Paramount Global has echoed Disney’s concerns, also reportedly sending a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance with similar allegations of copyright infringement, as reported by Variety.
The controversy highlights the escalating tension between the rapid advancement of generative AI technologies and the existing legal frameworks designed to protect creative content. As AI tools become more sophisticated and accessible, the challenge for companies like ByteDance and content creators alike lies in navigating the complex landscape of intellectual property in the digital age. The effectiveness of ByteDance’s strengthened safeguards will be closely watched by the industry as it seeks to balance innovation with the imperative of respecting creators’ rights.
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