Hollywood studios and industry groups are pushing back against a new artificial intelligence video model that they say makes copyright abuse easy at scale. The tool, called Seedance 2.0, comes from ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. The company released the updated model this week through its Jianying editing app in China and plans a wider rollout through CapCut, according to reporting by The Wall Street Journal.
Seedance works much like text-to-video systems such as OpenAI’s Sora. Users type a prompt, and the system generates a short video clip, with outputs limited to about 15 seconds. The technology can create realistic scenes, characters, and action sequences with little effort from users.
That ease has triggered alarm across Hollywood. Critics say the system allows users to recreate actors, film scenes, and well-known characters without permission from rights holders.
The backlash grew after a user on X shared a clip showing Tom Cruise fighting Brad Pitt. The poster claimed the video came from a short text prompt. Screenwriter Rhett Reese, known for Deadpool, responded with a blunt warning about the future of creative work.
Hollywood vs. ByteDance: The Legal Battle Over AI Copyright
Industry groups soon followed with formal criticism. The Motion Picture Association issued a statement from CEO Charles Rivkin calling on ByteDance to halt what he described as large-scale infringement. He argued that releasing a model without strong safeguards ignores copyright law and threatens jobs tied to film and television production.
The Human Artistry Campaign, backed by unions and trade bodies, called the technology an attack on creators. The actors’ union SAG-AFTRA also condemned the system and voiced support for studios seeking protections against unauthorised use of performers’ likenesses.
Major studios have begun legal action. Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter after Seedance videos appeared to feature characters such as Spider-Man, Darth Vader, and Grogu.
The company accused ByteDance of reproducing and distributing derivative works based on its intellectual property. Reporting from Axios described the complaint as a claim that the AI system enabled a “virtual smash-and-grab” of studio assets.
At the same time, studios are not rejecting AI outright. Disney has explored partnerships with technology firms and signed a licensing agreement with OpenAI, showing that media companies remain open to controlled uses of generative tools when licensing and safeguards exist.
Other studios have taken similar steps. Paramount sent its own cease-and-desist letter, according to coverage from Variety. The studio argued that many Seedance outputs closely resemble scenes and characters from its films and television catalog and can appear almost identical to original productions.
Seedance 2.0 and the Battle for AI Video Rights
The dispute reflects a wider clash between Silicon Valley and Hollywood over generative AI. Studios accept that machine learning can help with editing, visual effects, and production planning.
The conflict centers on training data, likeness rights, and whether AI companies must license creative works before models learn from them or reproduce recognizable elements.
Legal experts expect more cases as video generation improves. Unlike earlier AI tools that produced text or still images, video systems combine performance, voice, design, and storytelling into one output. That blend raises questions across copyright, publicity rights, and union contracts.
ByteDance has not issued a detailed public response to the criticism. Requests for comment remain pending, including outreach from TechCrunch.
For Hollywood, the issue goes beyond one product launch. Studios and unions see Seedance 2.0 as a test case that could shape how AI video tools operate worldwide. The outcome may determine whether generative video becomes a licensed creative partner or a legal battleground over ownership in the age of artificial intelligence.
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