ByteDance strikes global deal with Hollywood to protect IP in generative AI

Hollywood's Motion Picture Association (MPA) and ByteDance have struck a global agreement aimed at strengthening intellectual property protections across the tech company's generative AI video and image models.

The two organisations have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) establishing a shared framework to maintain guardrails around models including Seedance and Seedream. The tools are offered across ByteDance-owned platforms and products including TikTok, CapCut and Dreamina, as well as the TikTok USDS Joint Venture.

The agreement follows tensions between the two parties earlier this year, when the MPA sent ByteDance a cease-and-desist letter in February over Seedream 5.0 Lite and Seedance 2.0. The two organisations subsequently entered discussions over protections for film and television intellectual property generated or reproduced through the models.

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According to the MPA and ByteDance, more recent releases, including Seedream 5.0 Pro and Seedance 2.5, have incorporated further advances in IP protections.

Under the MOU, the organisations will continue working together to strengthen safeguards around creative content as generative AI technology evolves, with the framework intended to apply across markets globally.

The move comes as generative AI companies face growing scrutiny from the entertainment and creative industries over how copyrighted material is used by AI models and the ability of image and video generators to reproduce protected characters and other intellectual property.

For the MPA, the agreement marks a shift from its earlier enforcement action against ByteDance towards cooperation on safeguards around the technology. The association represents major film and television studios and has increasingly pushed for stronger protections for copyrighted works as generative AI tools become more sophisticated.

ByteDance, meanwhile, has continued expanding its generative AI capabilities across image and video, with Seedance focused on AI video generation and Seedream on image generation.

The MPA and ByteDance said they will continue working together on protecting creative content worldwide as AI technology develops.

“Today’s agreement illustrates our belief that copyright is a cornerstone of the film and television industry – and reinforces our commitment to protect creative content,” said Charles Rivkin, chairman and CEO of MPA.

He added, “For the past several months, we have had constructive engagement with ByteDance to implement meaningful guardrails on Seedance and Seedream, and this MOU reflects our shared determination to continue our work together to further fortify those guardrails.”

In tandem, John Rogovin, general counsel, ByteDance said, "ByteDance respects the intellectual property rights that underpin creative industries around the world, and we believe responsible innovation in AI goes hand in hand with meaningful protections for rightsholders."

"We appreciate the productive engagement with the MPA and its members as we continue to strengthen safeguards across our generative AI services. This MOU establishes an important framework for continued collaboration as the technology evolves, across a variety of products and platforms," he added. 

The agreement comes as the MPA continues to push for protections around its intellectual property as technology platforms introduce new products and policies. Last year, the association reportedly issued a cease-and-desist letter to Meta over the company's use of the "PG-13" movie rating to describe new content moderation policies for teens on Instagram.

In the letter, dated 28 October, the MPA reportedly called Meta's marketing around the update "literally false and highly misleading". The association argued that PG-13 is a registered certification mark that it owns and that Meta's use of the rating could undermine public trust in the film industry's long-established rating system.

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