ByteDance and Motion Picture Association Strengthen AI Copyright Safeguards

In February, Disney and other studios expressed concerns about Seedance’s AI tools. The fear was that these tools might generate content featuring copyrighted characters or celebrity likenesses without permission.

On August 17, 2026, ByteDance and the Motion Picture Association reached an agreement. This deal aims to enhance copyright protections on ByteDance’s AI models for video and image generation. These models include the Seedance video and Seedream image-generation tools.

The agreement follows a cease-and-desist letter sent by the MPA in February. This letter addressed concerns regarding how these AI tools handled intellectual property.

ByteDance responded by updating the models with stronger safeguards for intellectual property. Users can access these models through platforms such as TikTok, CapCut, and Dreamina.

The MPA originally challenged these tools because of their potential to generate content with copyrighted film and TV characters without authorization.

Both ByteDance and the MPA have committed to ongoing collaboration. They aim to continue developing safeguards as AI technology advances.