Seedance 2.0 Hollywood Deepfakes Slammed As “Destructive To Culture” By Human Artistry Campaign

The release of Seedance 2.0, an AI video tool developed by ByteDance, has sparked significant backlash from Hollywood, leading to condemnation from the Human Artistry Campaign, which includes members from SAG-AFTRA and the Directors Guild of America. The campaign has labeled the AI model as “destructive to culture” and a tool for blatant copyright infringement. In response to the criticism, ByteDance has announced plans to enhance safeguards for Seedance 2.0, although specific details regarding these measures have not been disclosed (Euronews, Engadget). Disney has taken a particularly strong stance against Seedance 2.0, sending a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance. The letter accuses the company of using a "pirated library" of Disney's copyrighted characters, including those from the Star Wars and Marvel franchises, to train its AI model. Disney claims that Seedance 2.0 has generated videos featuring characters like Spider-Man and Darth Vader without permission, which they argue constitutes a "virtual smash-and-grab" of their intellectual property (Engadget, Ars Technica). In addition to Disney, Paramount Skydance has also sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance, alleging that the company is engaging in “blatant infringement” of its intellectual property through Seedance 2.0. The letter cites examples of unauthorized use of characters from popular franchises such as “South Park,” “Star Trek,” and “The Godfather” (Variety). The backlash has been fueled by viral clips featuring AI-generated versions of Hollywood icons, further igniting outrage among artists and industry professionals (Engadget). Despite the controversy, Seedance 2.0 has received praise for its capabilities. However, the tool has already faced multiple cease-and-desist letters regarding copyright infringement, highlighting the tensions between technological advancements in AI and the protection of intellectual property rights within the entertainment industry (Euronews, Deadline).