ByteDance to rein in AI video tool after Disney legal threat

ByteDance, the Chinese technology company behind TikTok, announced Monday that it will take steps to restrict its AI video-making tool Seedance following threats of legal action from Disney and complaints from other entertainment studios.

The announcement came three days after Disney's lawyers sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance accusing the company of supplying Seedance with a "pirated library" of the studio's copyrighted characters, including those from Marvel and Star Wars franchises. Disney's legal team characterized the action as a "virtual smash-and-grab" of the studio's intellectual property.

Seedance 2.0, released last week, allows users to generate realistic video clips of movie stars and superheroes using only short text prompts. The tool has drawn significant backlash from Hollywood studios, with several major entertainment companies accusing it of copyright infringement. Videos created with the latest version of the app have proliferated online in recent days and have been noted for their realism.

In response to the legal threat and industry complaints, ByteDance told the BBC on Monday that it "respects intellectual property rights and we have heard the concerns regarding Seedance 2.0." The company stated it was "taking steps to strengthen current safeguards as we work to prevent unauthorized use of intellectual property and likeness by users." ByteDance did not provide details about the specific measures it planned to implement.

The dispute reflects growing concerns among entertainment companies about the capabilities of generative AI tools to reproduce copyrighted material and likenesses without authorization. Disney's cease-and-desist letter specifically named characters from Marvel and Star Wars, as well as various cartoons owned by the studio.