AI NewsByteDance reportedly pauses global launch of its Seedance 2.0 video generator
ByteDance reportedly pauses global launch of its Seedance 2.0 video generator
10:36 AM IST · March 16, 2026

ByteDance has paused plans to launch its new AI video model globally, according toa report in The Information. The Chinese company, best known as TikTokâs parent organization (and now a minority shareholder inits U.S. spinoff), launched Seedance 2.0 in China back in February. Brief videos generated by the model, including a clip featuring Tom Cruise fighting Brad Pitt, soon went viral anddrew intense criticism from Hollywood. While one successful screenwriter declared that the footage meant, âItâs likely over for us,â studios quickly sent ByteDance a flurry of cease-and-desist letters, with Disneyâs lawyers accusing the company of a âvirtual smash-and-grab of Disneyâs IP.â ByteDance responded bypromising to introduce stronger safeguardsfor intellectual property. The company had planned to make Seedance 2.0 available globally in mid-March, The Information said, but itâs delaying those plans as its engineers and lawyers work to avert further legal issues. ByteDance did not immediately respond to TechCrunchâs request for comment.
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