Hollywood Protests Against Seedance 2.0 AI Video Generator Amid Copyright Concerns
Hollywood industry leaders are voicing strong concerns over the recently launched artificial intelligence video generator, Seedance 2.0, developed by ByteDance. They claim that the tool poses significant risks for copyright infringement, enabling unauthorized reproductions of protected content.
Earlier this week, ByteDance introduced Seedance 2.0, which is initially available to users of its Jianying app in China, with plans to expand access to international users via the CapCut app. This release follows ByteDance’s recent agreement to divest TikTok’s U.S. operations, although the company retains partial ownership of the newly formed joint venture.
Seedance 2.0 allows users to generate 15-second videos by simply submitting a text prompt, akin to the functionality of OpenAI’s Sora. However, this ease of use has drawn substantial backlash, particularly concerning the potential for users to create videos that utilize the likenesses of real individuals and intellectual property from established studios.
The controversy escalated when an X user shared a video featuring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, purportedly produced using a two-line prompt in Seedance 2.0. The screenwriter of “Deadpool,” Rhett Reese, commented, “I hate to say it. It’s likely over for us,” highlighting the pervasive fears within the industry.
In response, the Motion Picture Association (MPA) expressed its alarm. CEO Charles Rivkin released a statement demanding ByteDance halt its “infringing activity.” He criticized the service for enabling the unauthorized use of U.S. copyrighted works, asserting that it undermines the rights of creators and threatens American jobs tied to the entertainment sector.
The Human Artistry Campaign, a coalition of Hollywood unions and trade organizations, has labeled Seedance 2.0 an assault on creators globally. SAG-AFTRA, the actors’ union, echoed these sentiments, supporting studios in denouncing the blatant copyright infringement associated with ByteDance’s AI model.
Further complicating matters, Seedance-generated content has reportedly featured characters owned by Disney, including Spider-Man and Darth Vader. This has led Disney to take legal action against ByteDance, issuing a cease-and-desist letter that accuses the company of engaging in a “virtual smash-and-grab” of its intellectual property, claiming it reproduces and distributes unauthorized derivative works.
While Disney has taken a firm stance against such infringement—having sent a cease-and-desist letter to Google for similar issues—it remains open to collaborating with AI companies and has recently entered into a three-year licensing agreement with OpenAI.
Key Points:
– Hollywood stakeholders criticize Seedance 2.0 for copyright violations.
– ByteDance’s AI tool allows video creation from simple text prompts.
– Major backlash includes legal threats from influential entertainment entities like Disney.
– Industry experts fear that unchecked AI tools could harm creative jobs.
