Disney Sends Cease-and-Desist to China's ByteDance Over Seedance 2.0 AI Copyright Violations
ByteDance has vowed to enhance copyright safeguards on its Seedance 2.0 AI tool following legal threats from Disney and Paramount Skydance. The studios accuse the Chinese firm of using unlicensed characters from Marvel and Star Wars for AI training. ByteDance aims to curb intellectual property infringement as AI-generated videos go viral.
Beijing, February 16: ByteDance has pledged to implement stricter safeguards to prevent the unauthorised use of intellectual property on its new artificial intelligence video generator, Seedance 2.0. The commitment follows legal threats from major United States studios, including Disney and Paramount Skydance, regarding the alleged use of copyrighted characters and celebrity likenesses without permission.
The controversy emerged shortly after the release of Seedance 2.0 last week, which quickly gained popularity in China for its ability to produce high-quality cinematic storylines from simple prompts. However, the tool also facilitated the creation of viral content featuring unlicensed intellectual property, such as a simulated fight between actors Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, prompting immediate backlash from rights holders. Seedance 2.0: Hollywood Organisations Condemn ByteDance’s AI Video Generator Over Alleged Copyright Misuse.
Disney Allegations of Pirated Libraries on ByteDance's Seedance 2.0
Disney issued a cease-and-desist letter to the Chinese technology firm, accusing it of using iconic characters from franchises such as Star Wars and Marvel to train and power the AI model. Sources familiar with the matter indicated that Disney believes ByteDance pre-packaged Seedance with a pirated library of copyrighted assets, treating characters like Spider-Man and Darth Vader as public-domain clip art.
The legal notice further alleges that the AI tool is being used to reproduce, distribute, and create derivative works featuring these protected characters. Paramount Skydance has reportedly taken similar action, sending its own cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance over what it described as blatant infringement of its intellectual property.
ByteDance Pledges Stronger Safeguards
In response to the mounting legal pressure, ByteDance stated on Monday that it is taking steps to strengthen current safeguards. The company aims to prevent the unauthorised use of intellectual property and likenesses by its users, although it did not provide specific details on the technical measures it intends to implement to filter such content. What Is Seedance 2.0? All About ByteDance’s New AI Video Model Going Viral in China As Elon Musk Says ‘It’s Happening Fast’.
This dispute highlights the growing tension between AI developers and content creators over copyright protection. While Disney has taken a firm stance against ByteDance and other startups like Character.AI, it has shown a willingness to collaborate through official channels. In December, the studio signed a licensing agreement with OpenAI, allowing the use of Star Wars, Pixar, and Marvel characters in the Sora video generator.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 16, 2026 12:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).