In February, Disney and other studios raised alarms about Seedance’s AI tools potentially producing content with copyrighted characters and celebrity likenesses without permission. This concern became more pronounced when a person monitored Seedance2.0, released by ByteDance, on various devices in Shanghai on February 13. Future Publishing captured this moment via Getty Images.
On August 17, 2026, ByteDance and the Motion Picture Association (MPA) announced an agreement to bolster copyright protections in the Chinese company’s AI video and image-generation models. This development arose months after the Hollywood trade group questioned ByteDance’s approach to managing intellectual property.
The agreement, which addresses ByteDance’s Seedance video and Seedream image-generation models, follows a cease-and-desist letter sent by the MPA in February. Disney and other studios were particularly worried that these AI tools could produce content involving copyrighted characters and celebrity images without proper authorization.
ByteDance responded by enhancing intellectual-property protections in the newer versions of these models. These models are accessed through platforms such as TikTok, CapCut, and Dreamina.
The MPA’s challenge arose from apprehensions that Seedance might create content featuring copyrighted film and television characters without the necessary approvals. Both ByteDance and the MPA have committed to ongoing collaboration to safeguard copyrighted content as AI technology continues to evolve.
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