Hollywood organizations are pushing back against a new AI video model called Seedance 2.0, which they say has quickly become a tool for \u201cblatant\u201d copyright infringement.<\/p>\n
ByteDance, the Chinese company that recently finalized a deal to sell TikTok\u2019s U.S. operations (it retains a stake in the new joint venture), launched Seedance 2.0 earlier this week. According to the Wall Street Journal, the updated model is currently available to Chinese users of ByteDance\u2019s Jianying app, and the company says it will soon be available to global users of its CapCut app.<\/p>\n
Similar to tools such as OpenAI\u2019s Sora, Seedance allows users to create videos (currently limited to 15 seconds in length) by just entering a text prompt. And like Sora, Seedance quickly drew criticism for an apparent lack of guardrails around the ability to create videos using the likeness of real people, as well as studios\u2019 intellectual property.<\/p>\n
After one X user posted a brief video showing Tom Cruise fighting Brad Pitt, which they said was created by \u201ca 2 line prompt in seedance 2,\u201d \u201cDeadpool\u201d screenwriter Rhett Reese responded, \u201cI hate to say it. It\u2019s likely over for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Motion Picture Association soon issued a statement from CEO Charles Rivkin demanding that ByteDance \u201cimmediately cease its infringing activity.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn a single day, the Chinese AI service Seedance 2.0 has engaged in unauthorized use of U.S. copyrighted works on a massive scale,\u201d Rivkin said. \u201cBy 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Human Artistry Campaign \u2014 an initiative backed by Hollywood unions and trade groups \u2014 condemned Seedance 2.0 as \u201can attack on every creator around the world,\u201d while the actors\u2019 union SAG-AFTRA said it \u201cstands with the studios in condemning the blatant infringement enabled by Bytedance\u2019s new AI video model Seedance 2.0.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Seedance videos have apparently featured Disney-owned characters such as Spider-Man, Darth Vader, and Grogu, better known as Baby Yoda, prompting the company to take legal action. Axios reports that Disney has sent a cease-and-desist letter accusing ByteDance of a \u201cvirtual smash-and-grab of Disney\u2019s IP\u201dand claiming the Chinese company is \u201chijacking Disney\u2019s characters by reproducing, distributing, and creating derivative works featuring those characters.\u201d<\/p>\n
Disney isn\u2019t necessarily opposed to working with AI companies \u2014 while it has reportedly sent a cease-and-desist letter to Google over similar issues, it has signed a three-year licensing deal with OpenAI.<\/p>\n
Variety reports that Paramount followed suit by sending Bytedance a cease-and-desist letter on Saturday. The letter claimed that \u201cmuch of the content that the Seed Platforms produce contains vivid depictions of Paramount\u2019s famous and iconic franchises and characters\u201d and that this content \u201cis often indistinguishable, both visually and audibly\u201d from Paramount\u2019s films and TV shows.<\/p>\n
TechCrunch has reached out to ByteDance for comment.<\/p>\n
This post was originally published on February 14, 2026. It has been updated to include information about Paramount\u2019s cease-and-desist letter.<\/p>\n
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