TikTok creator ByteDance vows to curb AI video tool after Disney threat | AI (artificial intelligence)

ByteDance, the Chinese tech giant behind TikTok, is facing a storm of legal threats and industry backlash after the release of its AI video generator, Seedance 2.0. The tool, which can create hyper-realistic video clips from simple text prompts, has sent shockwaves through Hollywood, with major studios accusing ByteDance of using pirated libraries of their intellectual property—including Marvel and Star Wars characters—to train the AI.

According to reports from Axios and the BBC, Walt Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance last Friday, accusing the company of committing a “virtual smash-and-grab” of its copyrighted content. The Motion Picture Association, representing studios like Paramount, Warner Bros., and Netflix, has also slammed ByteDance for “unauthorised use of US copyrighted works on a massive scale.” The actors’ union Sag-Aftra has joined the chorus, calling Seedance’s actions “blatant infringement.”

Seedance 2.0’s capabilities have left Hollywood reeling. The tool can generate videos that are nearly indistinguishable from professionally produced content, sparking fears about the future of the entertainment industry. Rhett Reese, co-writer of Deadpool & Wolverine, Zombieland, and Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, summed up the anxiety in a viral tweet: “It’s likely over for us.” He added, “In next to no time, one person is going to be able to sit at a computer and create a movie indistinguishable from what Hollywood now releases. True, if that person is no good, it will suck. But if that person possesses Christopher Nolan’s talent and taste (and someone like that will rapidly come along), it will be tremendous.”

The backlash has forced ByteDance to take action. A spokesperson for the company told the BBC that it “respects intellectual property rights” and is “taking steps to strengthen current safeguards” to prevent unauthorized use of intellectual property and likeness by users. However, the company declined to provide specifics on its plans.

This clash is the latest in a series of high-profile disputes between Hollywood and AI companies. Last year, Disney and NBCUniversal sued the AI image generator Midjourney over what they claimed were “endless unauthorised copies” of their works. At the same time, creative companies are striking deals with AI firms. Disney recently announced a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, and a three-year licensing agreement that allows OpenAI’s Sora video generation tool to use some of Disney’s characters.

The rise of AI-generated content has sparked a broader debate about the future of creativity and intellectual property. Artists and creative industries are calling for compensation for the use of their material and the establishment of licensing frameworks to enable legal use of their content. As AI technology continues to advance, the tension between innovation and copyright protection is only set to intensify.

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