ByteDance, the parent company of the popular video streaming platform TikTok, recently received a cease-and-desist letter from Disney concerning its newly launched Seedance 2.0 generative AI tool. Disney alleges that the Chinese company improperly utilized its creative assets to train this new model.
According to a letter obtained by Axios, Disney accused ByteDance of misappropriating its copyrighted characters as if they were free for public use. The letter further asserts that Seedance 2.0 contains a “pirated library” filled with Disney materials, prominently featuring its major franchises, including Star Wars and Marvel superhero films. The generative AI model was introduced this week and has sparked considerable backlash from various stakeholders.
Why Did Disney Issue a Cease-and-Desist Order to ByteDance?
Disney’s letter emphasized that ByteDance is deliberately exploiting its characters, despite the company’s previous public objections. David Singer, an attorney representing Disney from Jenner & Block LLC, stated that ByteDance is replicating, distributing, and creating derivative works involving those characters. “ByteDance’s virtual smash-and-grab of Disney’s intellectual property is willful, pervasive, and entirely unacceptable,” he remarked.
The letter also noted that Disney views this infringement as just the beginning, given that Seedance has only been on the market for a few days. Besides targeting Disney’s properties, the tool has also generated videos using assets from “The Lord of the Rings” and likenesses of high-profile Hollywood figures like Will Smith, Brad Pitt, and Tom Cruise. The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Motion Picture Association (MPA) have both voiced criticisms of Seedance 2.0 since its release.
“SAG-AFTRA stands with the studios in denouncing the blatant infringement facilitated by ByteDance’s new AI video model, Seedance 2.0,” a spokesperson for the actors’ union stated. The spokesperson further alleged that the infringements include unauthorized use of members’ voices and likenesses, emphasizing that such practices are inappropriate and undermine the ability of genuine talent to earn a living. “Seedance 2.0 flouts legal, ethical, and industry standards, as well as fundamental principles of consent,” the spokesperson added.
Disney’s Take on Artificial Intelligence
In response to Seedance 2.0, the Motion Picture Association criticized the platform for a specific AI-generated fight scene involving Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise. The MPA accused ByteDance of ignoring copyright laws and urged them to halt these infringement activities. Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the MPA, stated, “In a single day, the Chinese AI service Seedance 2.0 has engaged in widespread unauthorized use of U.S. copyrighted works.”
“By launching a service that operates without adequate safeguards against infringement, ByteDance is dismissing the well-established copyright laws that protect creators’ rights and underpin millions of American jobs. ByteDance should immediately cease its infringing activities,” Rivkin added.
This isn’t the first time Disney has sent out a cease-and-desist letter related to AI advancements. In December 2025, Disney targeted Google, accusing the giant of extensive copyright violations. Disney argued that Google utilized its dominant position in generative AI to profit from and distribute infringing images and videos featuring Disney-owned characters. Similar letters were also sent to Meta and Character.AI. Disney had previously joined forces with NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery in lawsuits against Midjourney and MiniMax.
Simultaneously, Disney is embracing AI technology, having invested $1 billion in OpenAI. The company also announced plans to license its characters for OpenAI’s Sora video platform, noting that these characters will be utilized for ChatGPT’s image generation capabilities. Videos generated by Sora will stream on Disney+, with OpenAI assisting in enhancing features across the platform.
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