ByteDance to restrict AI video tool after Disney legal threat
ByteDance said Monday it will strengthen safeguards on its Seedance AI tool after Disney threatened legal action over unauthorized use of copyrighted characters.
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ByteDance, the Chinese technology company behind TikTok, announced Monday that it will rein in its AI video-making tool Seedance following threats of legal action from Disney and complaints from other entertainment studios.
Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance on Friday accusing the company of supplying Seedance with a "pirated library" of the studio's copyrighted characters, including those from the Marvel and Star Wars franchises. Disney's lawyers alleged that ByteDance committed a "virtual smash-and-grab" of their intellectual property, which also includes various cartoons and superheroes.
The latest version of Seedance, released last week, allows users to generate realistic video clips of movie stars and superheroes using only short text prompts. Videos created with the tool have proliferated online in recent days and have been noted for their realism. The application has drawn concern from multiple Hollywood studios over copyright infringement allegations.
In response to Disney's legal threat and complaints from other media businesses, ByteDance told the BBC on Monday that it "respects intellectual property rights and we have heard the concerns regarding Seedance 2.0." The company said 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 comes as the AI video generation tool has gained attention for its capability to create convincing synthetic media of recognizable figures and fictional characters. Disney's action represents one of the first major legal challenges from a major entertainment company against the technology.