The video-generation artificial intelligence (AI) ‘Sidance 2.0’ from the Chinese company ByteDance, the parent of TikTok, is facing backlash amid allegations that it may have infringed the copyrights of works from the United States and Japan.

On the 14th (local time), according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Axios, and the BBC, the Motion Picture Association (MPA) issued a statement saying, “the Chinese service Sidance used, without authorization, a large number of works protected by U.S. copyright in just one day,” and “ByteDance must immediately stop the infringing conduct.”

The MPA said, “ByteDance launched the service without meaningful safeguards to prevent infringement,” and “it is ignoring copyright laws that protect the rights of creators and underpin millions of American jobs.”

Disney also sent a letter to ByteDance asserting that Disney works were used without authorization when Sidance was trained and developed. The letter included examples of Sidance videos featuring characters over which Disney holds copyright, including Spider-Man, Darth Vader, and Yoda from <Star Wars>.

The U.S. entertainment industry feels a major threat from Sidance, which can generate results resembling real films using only simple prompts. A 15-second clip that film director Rory Robinson made with a prompt just two lines long drew 1.61 million views on X. In the video, individuals closely resembling Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise fight on a building rooftop.

Rhett Reese, screenwriter of <Deadpool>, shared the clip and commented, “I hate to say this, but it seems we are finished.” The U.S. actors and broadcasters union (SAG-AFTRA) described the video as “a clear infringement” and “an unacceptable act that undermines the ability of people to make a living.”

The Japanese government also determined there was a possible infringement of Japanese anime copyrights by ByteDance and launched an investigation. The Yomiuri Shimbun reported on the 14th that the Cabinet Office of Japan confirmed that characters from <Ultraman> and <Detective Conan> appeared in a Sidance-produced viral video. The Cabinet Office urged the ByteDance Japan subsidiary to present response measures.

The BBC reported that ByteDance has already blocked the function that allows users to upload images of real people to generate videos and stated that it would protect copyright law and intellectual property rights.