Hollywood organizations have harshly criticized the AI video generator Seedance 2.0, which has "quickly become a tool for blatant copyright infringement."
Chinese tech giant ByteDance released an update to its neural network in February. The tool supports eight languages, including Russian and English.
The algorithm creates videos based on text prompts, images, and audio files. Users have noted the high quality of direction and editing, as well as the "incredibly natural, almost professional" transitions between scenes.
User X Ruari Robinson posted a realistic fight scene between Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.
This was a 2 line prompt in seedance 2. If the hollywood is cooked guys are right maybe the hollywood is cooked guys are cooked too idk. pic.twitter.com/dNTyLUIwAV
— Ruairi Robinson (@RuairiRobinson) February 11, 2026
The video was created using "two lines of text prompt in Seedance 2.0" and has garnered 1.6 million views.
"Deadpool" screenwriter Rhett Reese commented on the post:
"I hate to say it, but it’s probably all over for us."
Shortly after, the Motion Picture Association released a statement from CEO Charles Rivkin, demanding that ByteDance "immediately cease its unlawful activities":
"In just one day, the Chinese AI service Seedance 2.0 engaged in mass unauthorized use of American copyrighted works. By launching this tool without meaningful infringement safeguards, ByteDance is disregarding established copyright laws that protect creators' interests and support millions of jobs in the U.S."
The Human Artistry Campaign, an entertainment industry coalition, called Seedance 2.0 "an attack on every creator in the world." The SAG-AFTRA actors' union supported the studio's position, condemning the project for clear violations:
"They include unauthorized use of our members' voices and likenesses. This is unacceptable and undermines the ability of talented individuals to earn a living. Seedance 2.0 ignores the law, ethics, industry standards, and fundamental principles of consent."
The Walt Disney Company sent a letter to ByteDance demanding an end to copyright infringement. The company was accused of providing a service "with a pre-packaged pirate library of copyrighted Disney characters from Star Wars, Marvel, and other franchises."
The letter includes numerous examples where Seedance 2.0 used Spider-Man, Darth Vader, Grogu, and Peter Griffin.
Generated with Seedance 2.0 from a single prompt.
— Duet | AI (@Sheldon056) February 15, 2026
Hollywood isn’t the future of filmmaking.
Creators are. pic.twitter.com/bA7mCGFGOj
Paramount took similar action.
Numerous videos featuring well-known characters and actors created using Seedance 2.0 have been posted on X.
Seedance 2.0
— Charles Curran (@charliebcurran) February 14, 2026
Prompt: Sum up the AI discourse in a meme — make sure it’s retarded and gets 50 likes. pic.twitter.com/09yPdo3Tjy
Another example features Will Smith battling a spaghetti monster.
Seedance 2.0 changed filmmaking forever.
— Javi Lopez ⛩️ (@javilopen) February 11, 2026
"Will Smith fighting a spaghetti monster, epic action film scene, different cuts, 80s movie scene"
Now you can direct your own movies 🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/1prrQ4NUUh
Other Countries
Pressure on ByteDance is mounting beyond the U.S. The Japanese Cabinet has initiated an investigation into the company for possible copyright violations.
This follows the spread of content featuring characters from popular anime and manga, including Detective Conan and Ultraman.
"We cannot ignore a situation where content is used without the permission of the rights holder," said Japan's Minister for Artificial Intelligence, Kimi Onoda.
Seedance 2.0 has also sparked controversy within China due to its ability to synthesize a user's voice from a photograph.
A Doubao app user, Shi Yu, reported feeling uncomfortable when the neural network created a video with a voice strikingly similar to her own, likely matching her face with other videos online.
"It seems personal privacy has taken a back seat," she said.
ByteDance's Response
ByteDance stated that it is working to enhance protective mechanisms in Seedance 2.0.
"We respect intellectual property rights and have heard concerns regarding Seedance 2.0. We are taking steps to strengthen safeguards to prevent unauthorized use of intellectual property," the company said in a statement.
Under mounting criticism, ByteDance has restricted personalization features in Seedance 2.0. The model no longer supports uploading real people's faces as references for video generation.
Rui Ma, founder of the consulting firm Tech Buzz China, noted that the scandal could have been a planned move by ByteDance to draw attention to the technical capabilities of Seedance 2.0.
It is worth mentioning that in February, Chinese developer Kuaishou unveiled the third version of its video generation model, Kling AI.