Disney and Paramount Send Legal Notice to ByteDance Over AI-Generated Videos

Entertainment giants The Walt Disney Company and Paramount Pictures have reportedly issued legal notices to Chinese technology firm ByteDance, alleging copyright violations linked to its artificial intelligence-powered video generation platform.

The dispute centres on ByteDance’s advanced AI model, which allows users to create short videos using text or image prompts. According to the studios, the tool has generated content that closely resembles copyrighted characters, settings and visual styles from their well-known franchises. The companies have raised concerns that their intellectual property may have been used without authorisation in the development or output of the AI system.

In their legal communication, Disney and Paramount are said to have demanded that ByteDance immediately halt any use of copyrighted material and take corrective measures to prevent further alleged infringements. The move underscores mounting tensions between major entertainment studios and AI developers over the use of proprietary creative assets in training datasets and generated content.

ByteDance has responded by stating that it respects intellectual property rights and is committed to complying with applicable laws. The company indicated that it is reviewing the concerns raised and working to strengthen safeguards within its AI systems to avoid unauthorised use of copyrighted works.

The episode highlights the broader debate unfolding globally as generative AI tools become increasingly sophisticated. Media companies argue that unregulated AI models risk undermining original content creation, while tech firms maintain that innovation must continue within legal boundaries.