Zachary Levi, the star of Shazam!, has become one of the most vocal observers of the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, particularly the Chinese-developed generative AI model Seedance 2.0. Levi’s increasingly alarmed posts on social media have sparked a wider conversation about the potential disruption – and displacement – of human creativity in Hollywood.
Levi’s initial fascination quickly morphed into a sense of urgency. He’s been sharing user-generated videos created with Seedance 2.0, often accompanied by pointed questions about industry preparedness. “Are. We. Paying. Attention. Yet???” he recently posted, re-sharing a video from AI creators The Dor Brothers, who claimed to have produced a feature-length film with a $200 million look for just $200 using the technology.
However, Levi clarified that his concern isn’t necessarily with the current quality of AI-generated content, but with the pace of its improvement. “I don’t share posts about the progress of AI content because I like it, or even think it’s, at this moment, on par with human creativity and artistry,” he explained in a post on X. “I share them as continuous updates in the evolutionary process of what will eventually become INDISCERNIBLE from human-made art and entertainment.”
He continued, framing the situation as an inevitability. “You can call it slop all you want. And most of We see still that. But only for now. Three years ago, ‘Will Smith Eating Spaghetti’ was nightmarish fever-dream. Now, it’s essentially found footage of actual Will Smith eating actual spaghetti. Based on what we’re seeing currently, what does the NEXT three years have in store?” Levi’s message is stark: the trajectory is clear, and the industry needs to confront it. “This is where we are. Right now. It’s not going to get any worse. It will only keep getting better. We can collectively bury our heads in the sand, or we can do something about it.”
The virality of Seedance 2.0 is fueled, in part, by its ability to generate convincing fan-made videos featuring popular intellectual property, including Shazam! itself. This has, unsurprisingly, triggered a legal response from Hollywood studios. Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of DC Studios, has reportedly issued a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance, the Chinese company behind Seedance 2.0, according to reports from .
The legal pressure isn’t limited to Warner Bros. Disney and Paramount have also reportedly threatened legal action, prompting ByteDance to promise improvements to its safeguards. The company stated it “respects intellectual property rights and we have heard the concerns regarding Seedance 2.0.” ByteDance pledged to “strengthen current safeguards as we work to prevent the unauthorised use of intellectual property and likeness by users.”
The situation arrives at a particularly sensitive moment for the entertainment industry. The ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes of 2023 highlighted concerns about the impact of AI on writers and actors, with both unions seeking protections against the unauthorized use of their work and likenesses. The emergence of tools like Seedance 2.0 underscores the speed at which those concerns are becoming realities.
The broader context of this technological leap is also significant. Reports indicate that DeepSeek, the company behind Seedance 2.0, achieved its capabilities at a fraction of the cost of comparable AI models developed by American tech giants like OpenAI, Google, and Meta. DeepSeek reportedly spent just $5.6 million on computing power for its base model, compared to the hundreds of millions – or billions – invested by its US competitors. This cost differential raises questions about the competitive landscape and the potential for China to emerge as a dominant force in AI development.
The market reaction to DeepSeek’s advancements has been notable, with US stocks experiencing a sharp decline following the announcement of Seedance 2.0’s capabilities. However, some analysts suggest the sell-off may be an overreaction, arguing that American AI leadership remains secure for the time being. Nevertheless, the incident serves as a wake-up call, demonstrating that the US’s technological advantage is not insurmountable.
Levi’s public commentary, while perhaps alarming to some, reflects a growing anxiety within the industry about the future of creative work. His posts aren’t simply about the technology itself, but about the potential for widespread disruption and the need for proactive solutions. The debate over AI’s role in entertainment is only just beginning, and the coming months will likely see increased scrutiny of these technologies and their impact on the creative process.
The speed of development is particularly striking. Just three years ago, AI-generated imagery was largely considered a novelty. Now, it’s capable of producing remarkably realistic content, blurring the lines between human and machine-made art. As Levi points out, the next three years could bring even more dramatic changes, forcing the industry to grapple with fundamental questions about authorship, ownership, and the very definition of creativity.
