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    Hollywood Groups Condemn ByteDance’s AI Video Generator, Claiming Copyright Infringement

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    Women wearing masks pass by the headquarters of ByteDance, owners of TikTok, in Beijing, China, Aug. 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

    By Barbara Ortutay, Technology Writer

    LOS ANGELES (AP) --

    A new artificial intelligence video generator from Beijing-based ByteDance, the creator of TikTok, is drawing the ire of Hollywood organizations that say Seedance 2.0 “blatantly” violates copyright and uses the likeness of actors and others without permission.

    Seedance 2.0, which is only available in China for now, lets users generate high-quality AI videos using simple text prompts. The tool quickly gained condemnation from the movie and TV industry.

    The Motion Picture Association said Seedance 2.0 “has engaged in unauthorized use of U.S. copyrighted works on a massive scale.”

    “By launching a service that operates without meaningful safeguards against infringement, ByteDance is disregarding well-established copyright law that protects the rights of creators and underpins millions of American jobs. ByteDance should immediately cease its infringing activity,” Charles Rivkin, chairman and CEO of the MPA, said in a statement Tuesday.

    Screenwriter Rhett Rheese, who wrote the “Deadpool” movies, said on X last week that “I hate to say it. It’s likely over for us.” His post was in response to Irish director Ruairí Robinson’s post of a Seedance 2.0 video that shows AI versions Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt fighting in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

    Actors union SAG-AFTRA said Friday it “stands with the studios in condemning the blatant infringement” enabled by Seedance 2.0.

    “The infringement includes the unauthorized use of our members’ voices and likenesses. This is unacceptable and undercuts the ability of human talent to earn a livelihood,” SAG-AFTRA said in a statement. “Seedance 2.0 disregards law, ethics, industry standards and basic principles of consent. Responsible AI development demands responsibility, and that is nonexistent here.”

    ByteDance said in a statement Sunday that it respects intellectual property rights.

    “(We) have heard the concerns regarding Seedance 2.0. We are taking steps to strengthen current safeguards as we work to prevent the unauthorized use of intellectual property and likeness by users,” the company said.

    Category:News
    Tags:artificial intelligenceByteDanceMotion Picture AssociationSAG-AFTRASeedance 2.0



    Women Propel “Wuthering Heights” To Box Office-Topping Debut At $34.8 Million

    Sunday, February 15, 2026

    Emerald Fennell's bold reimagining of "Wuthering Heights" brought crowds of women to movie theaters this weekend. The Warner Bros. release topped the box office charts and nabbed the title for the year's biggest opening with $34.8 million in ticket sales in its first three days in North American theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. According to PostTrak polling, an estimated 76% of those ticket buyers were women. By the end of Monday's Presidents Day holiday, the total could rise to $40 million from its 3,682 locations.

    The romantic drama starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi as the star-crossed Catherine and Heathcliff, won out over the weekend's other newcomers, including the animated "GOAT" and the heist thriller "Crime 101." Its biggest day was Saturday's Valentine's Day holiday, where it earned $14 million. "Wuthering Heights" is also performing even better internationally, where it's expecting to rake in an additional $42 million from 76 territories.

    The Warner Bros./MRC production cost a reported $80 million to produce, not accounting for the millions spent on marketing and promotion. If the four-day totals match the estimates, that makes for a strong $82 million global debut. And the film still has several big openings on the horizon, in Japan and Vietnam on Feb. 27, and in China on March 13.

    The success comes while the future of Warner Bros. hangs in the balance, as Paramount continues to sweeten its hostile takeover bid in hopes of winning out over Netflix. "Wuthering Heights" is the studio's ninth No. 1 opening in a row.

    Fennell's version of "Wuthering Heights," which takes many liberties with Emily Brontë's novel, largely divided critics. It's currently sitting at a mixed 63% on Rotten Tomatoes. While that... Read More

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