Disney sued ByteDance to protect its characters. And a $1 billion OpenAI deal.

It’s Monday! It’s New Year’s Eve (here in Vietnam).

Hello, Curse and Coffee friends,

Today, we look at ByteDance’s (TikTok’s) new video AI.

Hit reply and let us know what you think (we read all of your kind words).

Coffee at the ready…

The take: Disney isn't defending its characters from Seedance 2.0 — it's defending the price tag it put on them two months ago.

What happened: ByteDance launched AI video generator Seedance 2.0 on 12 February, and within 48 hours, Disney, Paramount, actors' union SAG-AFTRA, and Japan's government all came swinging.

Why it matters: Disney licensed 200+ characters to OpenAI for $1 billion in December. ByteDance just offered the same ones for free.

What to watch: ByteDance patched its content filters fast. The real test is whether this becomes the case that forces governments to pick sides.

ByteDance already blocked real-person image uploads. Presumably, Darth Vader doesn't count as a real person. Yet.

Background: Disney invested $1 billion in OpenAI and signed a three-year licensing deal giving Sora access to 200+ animated characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars. No real actors' faces or voices included. A joint committee polices what users can make.

Key quote: Bob Iger, Disney CEO: "We will thoughtfully and responsibly extend the reach of our storytelling through generative AI, while respecting and protecting creators."

Strategic timing: Disney signed that deal on 11 December. Two months later, Seedance 2.0 launched. Disney's cease-and-desist arrived the next day.

Before we slurp into today’s brew…

Here are some wordies from today’s sponsor.

AI is moving faster than any other technology cycle in history. New models. New tools. New claims. New noise.

Most people feel like they’re behind. But the people that don’t, aren’t smarter. They’re just better informed.

Forward Future is a daily news briefing for people who want clarity, not hype. In one concise newsletter each day, you’ll get the most important AI and tech developments, learn why they matter, and what they signal about what’s coming next.

We cover real product launches, model updates, policy shifts, and industry moves shaping how AI actually gets built, adopted, and regulated. Written for operators, builders, leaders, and anyone who wants to sound sharp when AI comes up in the meeting.

It takes about five minutes to read, but the edge lasts all day.

Sign Up. Look Smart.