AI copyright battle: ByteDance to curb Seedance 2.0 amid Disney lawsuit warning

ByteDance, a Chinese technology giant, has announced plans to curb the video-generated AI tool as Disney threatens to take legal action over copyright issues.

In recent days, ByteDance’s Seedance 2.0 has taken the internet by storm due to generating hyper-realistic AI videos.

Given the online proliferation of Seedance-generated videos, several Hollywood studios have sounded alarm over copyright infringement.

As a result, Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance, blaming the Chinese tech giant for using Disney characters to train and power Seedance 2.o video generated without consent, as reported by Reuters.

According to the entertainment conglomerate, ByteDance has powered Seedance with “pirated library of copyrighted characters from franchises including Star Wars and Marvel.”

As reported by the source privy to the matter, the letter also accused ByteDance of reproducing, distributing and creating derivative works featuring Spider-Man, Darth Vader, and other characters.

In response to the legal warning, the Chinese firm has decided to restrict the AI video by preventing the unauthorised use of copyrighted characters and celebrity likenesses.

ByteDance told the BBC that the company "respects intellectual property rights and we have heard the concerns regarding Seedance 2.0."

"We are taking steps to strengthen current safeguards as we work to prevent the unauthorised use of intellectual property and likeness by users,” it added.

However, the tech giant did not explain yet what measures they would implement.

Besides Disney, Paramount Skydance also sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance in which the company also accused the tech firm of “involving in egregious violation of intellectual property.”