Paramount Warns ByteDance Over AI Model Violations
Paramount Skydance has recently taken a strong stand against ByteDance, following Disney’s lead, over concerns regarding potential violations of intellectual property rights. This dispute centers around ByteDance’s AI models, Seedance and Seedream, which Paramount claims are unlawfully utilizing its copyrighted content.
Cease and Desist Letter to ByteDance
In a cease and desist letter addressed to Liang Rubo, CEO of ByteDance, Paramount’s attorney outlined the company’s demands. Paramount insists that ByteDance must:
- Cease all uses of Paramount’s content across its platforms.
- Take immediate action to remove any infringing instances of its content.
Claims of Intellectual Property Infringement
The letter asserts that ByteDance’s Seed Platforms generate images and videos that prominently feature characters and franchises owned by Paramount. These include well-known properties such as:
- South Park
- SpongeBob SquarePants
- Star Trek
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- The Godfather
- Dora the Explorer
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
Paramount argues that these creations violate copyright, trademark, and unfair competition laws. It further contends that the models were trained using its intellectual property without consent, constituting a legal infringement.
Industry Reactions
Paramount’s strong objection reflects broader industry concerns. Recently, Disney also issued a cease and desist letter to ByteDance, addressing IP infringements involving its major franchises like Star Wars and Marvel. The Motion Picture Association and the Human Artistry Campaign have also criticized ByteDance for its practices.
As this situation escalates, experts will be watching how ByteDance responds to these significant allegations, especially as the use of AI in content creation grows in popularity.
