A new artificial intelligence video generator from Beijing-based ByteDance, the developer of TikTok, has drawn the ire of Hollywood organizations who say Seedance 2.0 “blatantly” violates copyright and uses the likenesses of actors and other people without permission.
Seedance 2.0 is currently only available in China and allows users to generate high-quality AI videos using simple text prompts. The tool quickly drew criticism from the film and television industries.
The Motion Picture Association said Seadance 2.0 “made extensive unauthorized use of U.S. copyrighted works.”
“By launching its service without meaningful protections against copyright infringement, ByteDance is ignoring established copyright law that protects the rights of creators and supports millions of American jobs. ByteDance must immediately cease its infringing activities,” MPA Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin said in a statement Tuesday.
“I hate to say it. We probably would have been done,” Rhett Reese, the writer of “Deadpool,” told TV show “X” last week. His post was in response to Irish filmmaker Ruairi Robinson’s posting of the Seadance 2.0 video, which shows AI versions of Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt battling it out in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
Actors union SAG-AFTRA said Friday it “stands with the studio in condemning the blatant copyright infringement” made possible by SeaDance 2.0.
“This violation includes the unauthorized use of members’ voices and likenesses. This is unacceptable and undermines our talent’s ability to earn a living,” SAG-AFTRA said in a statement. “Seedance 2.0 ignores fundamental principles of law, ethics, industry standards, and consent. Responsible AI development requires accountability, and that is not present here.”
ByteDance said in a statement on Sunday that it respects intellectual property rights.
“(We) have heard your concerns regarding Seadance 2.0. We are taking steps to strengthen our current safeguards to prevent unauthorized use of our intellectual property and likeness by our users,” the company said.
