TikTok owner ByteDance and the Motion Picture Association (MPA), the Hollywood trade group representing major studios, have signed an agreement to strengthen copyright protections on the Chinese company's generative AI models. The deal, announced on Monday, covers ByteDance's Seedance video model and Seedream image model, which are available through services including TikTok, CapCut, and Dreamina.

According to a Reuters report on the matter, the agreement follows a cease-and-desist letter the MPA sent in February, after Disney and other studios raised concerns that the AI tools could generate content featuring copyrighted characters and celebrity likenesses without authorisation. At the time, the MPA specifically questioned whether Seedance could produce video of film and television characters without permission.

ByteDance said newer versions of the models already include stronger intellectual property safeguards. Both sides added that they will continue collaborating on protections for copyrighted content as AI technology evolves.