On February 17, 2026, ByteDance announced enhanced protections for its AI video app, Seedance 2.0, following legal action from Disney, which accused the platform of utilizing copyrighted characters without authorization. The app, which generates realistic videos from text prompts, has gained immense popularity, but concerns have emerged over its use of intellectual property from major franchises like Marvel and Star Wars. Disney issued a cease-and-desist letter, referring to the unauthorized content as a “pirated library.” In response, ByteDance affirmed its commitment to respecting intellectual property rights and indicated it would improve safeguards against the misuse of copyrighted material. This dispute underscores escalating tensions between AI developers and the entertainment sector, where studios and unions express fears that generative AI could infringe copyrights and disrupt creative jobs. As the debate continues, ByteDance’s measures could shape the future of AI and content creation within the industry.
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