The Volcano Ark platform allows users to generate videos featuring the image and voice of real actors through a revenue-sharing model with rights holders.
ByteDance has announced the Volcano Ark platform, an AI-powered video generation system that legally uses scenes and actors from real films. The initiative aims to solve the intellectual property deadlock in the AI sector by ensuring copyright holders are compensated. The model is already operational on the platform, utilizing version 2.0 of the Seedance video tool.
The project's first partner is Bingo Group, the company of filmmaker Stephen Chow. The agreement allows for the licensing of scenes from productions such as King of Comedy, God of Cookery, and CJ7. Unlike previous industry agreements, ByteDance's technology licenses the actual image and voice of the actors, while also reproducing the visual characteristics of the original film, such as its film stock type.
The project is made viable through its business model. The system offers the option to purchase a commercial license for content creation or operates on a revenue-sharing model, which pays rights holders whenever a video is generated. Personal use is free, but the generation of commercial content without the proper license is automatically blocked by the platform.
ByteDance's approach contrasts with the difficulties seen in other industry partnerships. A deal between Disney and OpenAI for the Sora tool resulted only in the creation of stylized characters with masked faces, without using the actors' actual features. The Chinese company's strategy applies a logic similar to that used by TikTok in music licensing, adapting the model for the audiovisual market.
Despite the advancement represented by this licensing solution, expanding this model to Western markets faces significant barriers. The commercial application of this technology by foreign companies would depend on negotiating rights with major Hollywood studios. According to the analysis, the viability of this model outside Asia would require the participation of established platforms, such as YouTube, and authorization from the holders of large intellectual property catalogs.
Volcano Ark uses a licensing and revenue-sharing model that compensates copyright holders. Users can generate videos for personal use for free, but commercial use requires purchasing a license or sharing revenue with the rights holders.
Unlike the Disney and OpenAI deal, which only created stylized characters with masked faces, ByteDance's technology licenses the actual image and voice of the actors, while also reproducing the original film's visual characteristics.
Expanding to Western markets faces significant barriers. It would require negotiating rights with major Hollywood studios, securing authorizations for large intellectual property catalogs, and likely involving established platforms like YouTube.