Motion Picture Association and ByteDance Agree on AI Copyright Safeguards

The Motion Picture Association and ByteDance have formalized a collaborative framework aimed at shielding film and television intellectual property within ByteDance’s suite of AI generators. The memorandum of understanding covers the video generator Seedance and the image generator Seedream, which have recently been updated to Seedance 2.5 and Seedream 5.0 Pro. The deal comes after the MPA issued a cease-and-desist letter earlier in the year, accusing the company of ignoring established copyright law.

In statements, the MPA’s chairman emphasized the need for strong guardrails, while ByteDance’s general counsel said the partnership will help align responsible AI development with rights-holder protections. The AI tools are accessible across ByteDance’s app ecosystem, including TikTok, CapCut and Dreamina. Both organizations expressed a shared commitment to continue refining these safeguards as the technology evolves.