Disney raises copyright concerns over ByteDance’s new AI video generation model

The Walt Disney Company has sent a cease-and-desist notice to ByteDance, alleging the company used Disney’s copyrighted material to build and roll out its Seedance 2.0 video-generation service without authorisation or payment.

The notice claims the platform launched with what Disney describes as an embedded library of protected characters from its franchises, presenting them in a way that suggested they were freely available for public use.

The company also alleges that its content has been used to power a commercial service, further intensifying the claimed infringement.

The dispute comes amid wider criticism from Hollywood industry groups. The Motion Picture Association, led by Charles Rivkin, called on ByteDance to halt what it described as infringing activity. Meanwhile, SAG-AFTRA and the Directors Guild of America, both part of the Human Artistry Campaign, urged authorities to take legal action to address the issue.

Disney has taken a more aggressive stance on AI and copyright enforcement. Previous actions include notices sent to Character.AI and Google, which resulted in changes and removals of unauthorised content. The studio has also pursued legal action against Midjourney and joined NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery in a case against MiniMax over alleged large-scale piracy.

Despite its tougher enforcement stance, The Walt Disney Company has signalled openness to working with AI developers through licensing deals. The company previously entered a major partnership with OpenAI, becoming a content licensing partner for its video platform and committing a significant equity investment as part of the agreement.