Following Disney, Netflix is ​​now targeting ByteDance's AI for recreating its cult series.

For several weeks, a new artificial intelligence tool has been causing a stir in the entertainment industry. Called Seedance 2.0, this video generator, developed by ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, allows users to produce ultra-realistic scenes inspired by globally renowned franchises.

On social media, examples are multiplying, ranging from alternative endings of cult series, to unlikely crossovers between characters and even fictional fights between Hollywood celebrities.

While these technological demonstrations fascinate, they equally worry the major American studios.

Netflix accuses ByteDance of massive copyright infringement

According to The Hollywood Reporter, on February 17, 2026, Netflix sent a cease and desist letter to ByteDance, accusing it of allowing the unauthorized reproduction of its works via Seedance 2.0. The streaming platform specifically mentions the use of flagship licenses such as Stranger Things, Bridgerton, Squid Game, and Kpop Demon Hunters.

In its letter, Netflix argues that the tool acts like a “piracy factory”, capable of generating large-scale derivative works that reuse protected characters, universes, and storylines.

To avoid immediate legal action, Netflix demands the implementation of technical safeguards that would prevent the generation of content related to its licenses, the removal of infringing videos, a detailed report of observed violations, and the revocation of API access for partners who exploit the tool for copyright infringement purposes.

A coordinated offensive American studios

Netflix's reaction is part of a broader movement orchestrated by the MPA (Motion Picture Association), which represents the major American studios.

Its president, Charles H. Rivkin, denounced in an article the “massive” copyright infringements and called on ByteDance to immediately cease all activity that harms creators.

For its part, the SAG-AFTRA union has shared a message pointing to a violation of the fundamental principles of consent and industry standards.

ByteDance, however, claims to respect intellectual property rights and to work on strengthening its protection mechanisms. And while, for now, Seedance 2.0 is officially only accessible in China, its announced integration into CapCut could accelerate its international rollout.

This new standoff illustrates the growing tension between innovation driven by generative AI and the protection of cultural assets. For streaming platforms like Netflix, the battle is being fought as much on the legal front as on the technological one, because it's about preserving the value of their universes against tools capable of reproducing their codes in a few lines of prompt…