Ask Onix
ByteDance responds to copyright concerns over AI video app
Chinese tech firm ByteDance has committed to reinforcing safeguards on its AI video-generation platform, Seedance, following accusations of copyright infringement from Disney and other entertainment industry leaders.
Disney issues legal warning
On Friday, Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance, alleging that Seedance 2.0 was trained using a "pirated library" of its copyrighted characters, including Marvel superheroes and Star Wars figures. Disney's legal team described the situation as a "virtual smash-and-grab" of its intellectual property.
This move follows a $1 billion partnership Disney struck last year with OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT and the video-generation tool Sora, granting access to 200 of its characters.
Seedance's viral AI-generated content raises alarms
Since the launch of Seedance 2.0 on 12 February, AI-generated clips featuring well-known characters have circulated widely online. Examples include videos of Star Wars characters Anakin Skywalker and Rey dueling with lightsabers, as well as Spider-Man clashing with Captain America in New York City.
ByteDance has not disclosed the datasets used to train Seedance, though it previously stated that the tool had paused the ability for users to upload images of real people.
Broader industry backlash
Disney is not alone in its concerns. Paramount Skydance has reportedly sent a similar cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance, while the Motion Picture Association-representing studios like Warner Bros Discovery, Paramount, and Netflix-has demanded that Seedance "immediately cease its infringing activity."
The actors' union SAG-AFTRA has also accused the platform of "blatant infringement," echoing wider industry unease over AI-generated content.
Global scrutiny intensifies
The controversy extends beyond Hollywood. The Japanese government has launched an investigation into ByteDance over potential copyright violations after AI-generated videos featuring popular anime characters appeared online.
This is not the first time AI tools have faced legal challenges. Last year, Disney and NBCUniversal sued Midjourney, an AI image generator, for allegedly producing "endless unauthorised copies" of their copyrighted works. That case remains unresolved.
Disney has also urged Google to restrict the generation of its characters on Google's AI platforms.
ByteDance's response and next steps
In a statement to the BBC on Monday, ByteDance said it "respects intellectual property rights" and is "taking steps to strengthen current safeguards" to prevent unauthorized use of copyrighted material. However, the company did not provide details on the specific measures it plans to implement.
"We are working to prevent the unauthorised use of intellectual property and likeness by users."
ByteDance spokesperson
