U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) are urging ByteDance to immediately halt its AI video generator, Seedance 2.0, over copyright and intellectual property concerns. The platform has also drawn criticism from Hollywood studios, citing legal challenges related to its use of real people and licensed characters.
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NVDS: built for a short position on NVDASenators Demand Immediate Seedance AI Shutdown
Blackburn and Welch sent a letter to ByteDance CEO Liang Rubo, urging the company to immediately shut down Seedance 2.0 AI. They described the app as “the most glaring example of copyright infringement” and highlighted creations involving actors Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, as well as the Netflix (NFLX) series Stranger Things.
The lawmakers warned that without proper protections, the platform could continue producing unauthorized content that violates intellectual property and personal likeness rights. In response, Rubo’s team stated that ByteDance respects IP laws and is implementing measures to strengthen these protections and prevent further misuse.
Concerns extend beyond U.S. lawmakers, as Hollywood studios, including the Motion Picture Association and Disney (DIS), have also sent cease-and-desist letters. ByteDance has paused the global launch of Seedance 2.0 while the company works to address the issues raised.
Growing Regulatory Pressure on AI
As a result of the backlash, U.S. lawmakers are grappling with how to regulate AI technologies like Seedance 2.0. Congress has largely taken a hands-off approach, wary of creating rules that could limit innovation or allow foreign competitors to gain an advantage. Lawmakers also note that legislation drafted just a few years ago would already be outdated in addressing advances such as agentic AI.
Blackburn and Welch introduced a bill in August 2025 designed to help artists protect their copyrighted works from being used to train AI models. The legislation includes measures that allow artists to access the training data used by AI programs, giving creators more transparency and control over how their work is used.
Is ByteDance a Public Company?
ByteDance, an AI-focused private company headquartered in Beijing, China, has not yet conducted an initial public offering (IPO). However, investors looking for publicly traded AI stock alternatives can consider major players such as Nvidia (NVDA), Meta (META), and Microsoft (MSFT), which are listed in TipRanks’ Stocks Comparison Center.
