Evolution of AI Video Generation and Reorganization of Creative Ecosystem

February 12, 2026: ByteDance unveiled AI video generation model Seedance 2.0. Inputting a few lines of text creates video up to 15 seconds long; adding image/video clips/audio files together, the model interprets these as a unified creative context to complete video. Being the tool of TikTok parent company attracted attention before launch, but actual impact far exceeded expectations -- within 24 hours of release, videos of Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt fighting on a rooftop spread across the internet. Production method was simple: two lines of text, one button. ByteDance stated "we respect intellectual property and will strengthen safeguards" without disclosing specific measures. Two core legal questions: (1) Does using copyrighted content for AI model training constitute Fair Use?; (2) What is the platform responsibility extent when users generate content based on copyrighted material? Neither question has been definitively answered by courts. The OpenAI/Sora precedent: after Sora launch in September 2024, OpenAI faced similar criticism from MPA and quickly applied copyright safeguards; December 2024 signed a 3-year license agreement with Disney securing rights to 200+ characters (Disney, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars) in exchange for Disney investing $1B in OpenAI. ByteDance strategic choice: will they follow the same path from adversarial to negotiated licensing, or attempt to maintain the current approach through legal defense? The outcome will significantly influence how other AI video companies approach the copyright question. The broader creative ecosystem implication: as AI video generation becomes accessible at the consumer level, the distinction between human-created and AI-generated content in short-form video becomes undetectable -- fundamentally changing the economics and practices of the creator economy.