• Disney has sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance regarding copyright infringement by Seedance.
• ByteDance’s Seedance 2.0 has been accused of utilizing a "pirated library" of Disney characters.
• Foreign governments, including Japan, have initiated investigations into ByteDance’s practices.
• ByteDance promises to strengthen safeguards against unauthorized use of copyrighted materials.
• Videos generated by Seedance 2.0 have gained significant attention online, showcasing famous characters.

ByteDance’s new AI video tool, Seedance 2.0, is facing serious allegations, particularly from Disney, which sent a cease-and-desist letter accusing the company of utilizing a "pirated library" of characters from popular franchises such as Star Wars and Marvel. Disney claims that ByteDance has been reproducing and distributing unauthorized content, portraying copyrighted characters as public-domain materials, which includes infamous figures like Spider-Man and Darth Vader, according to South China Morning Post and Reuters.

In response to these escalated tensions, ByteDance indicated it would "strengthen safeguards" concerning its Seedance 2.0 tool to prevent unauthorized use of copyrighted materials, amidst pressures not only from Disney but also from other Hollywood entities such as the Motion Picture Association and the SAG-AFTRA actors' union accusing the platform of blatant infringement. These organizations have called for ByteDance to halt its operations related to the tool, prompting international scrutiny regarding its copyright practices, as reported by BBC and Channel News Asia.

Moreover, the controversy has caught the attention of foreign governments, notably Japan, which has launched an investigation into potential copyright violations stemming from AI-generated videos that have included popular anime characters. This ongoing fallout highlights widespread concern within the entertainment industry about the rapidly evolving capabilities of AI technologies like Seedance, indicating that further reviews and regulations may be on the horizon, according to South China Morning Post and Reuters.

Seedance 2.0 has gained traction online, with videos showcasing various characters going viral, including one featuring a fight scene between actors Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. The AI model, which operates by generating clips based on text prompts, is noted for its advanced capabilities, yet critics argue that it does so at the expense of intellectual property rights, as stated by sources including BBC and Channel News Asia.