China's AI Advances Threaten to Supercharge Global Disinformation

ByteDance's new Seedance 2.0 model can generate hyperrealistic AI-powered videos, raising concerns about the impact on politics and democracy.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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China's rapid progress in AI video technology, exemplified by ByteDance's new Seedance 2.0 model, has produced highly realistic AI-generated footage that could be used to spread disinformation on a massive scale. Experts warn this "high-quality slopaganda" could have major political implications, potentially overwhelming voters' ability to distinguish authentic footage from synthetic fiction and eroding trust in political communication.

Why it matters

The emergence of this AI video technology marks a concerning shift in the information landscape, as it gives bad actors the ability to cheaply produce emotionally charged and convincing fake content. This threatens to undermine democratic debate and processes, especially in the context of upcoming midterm elections where narrowly targeted disinformation campaigns could have an outsized impact.

The details

ByteDance's new Seedance 2.0 model has demonstrated the ability to generate hyperrealistic footage of famous figures like Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in fabricated scenarios. Unlike clumsy deepfakes of the past, this new AI-powered video is highly believable and could be used to spread disinformation on a large scale. Experts warn this "high-quality slopaganda" could be weaponized by governments like Russia, Iran and North Korea to overwhelm voters with conflicting, emotionally charged content and erode trust in political communication.

  • On February 11, 2026, a viral AI-generated video of Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt fighting on a rooftop about "Jeffrey Epstein" stunned the internet.
  • In the days following, numerous other examples of Seedance 2.0-generated content, including altered Disney and Marvel characters, sparked copyright concerns from Hollywood studios.

The players

ByteDance

The Chinese technology company that developed the Seedance 2.0 AI video model, which has demonstrated the ability to generate highly realistic synthetic footage.

Donald Trump

The former U.S. president, whose political rise was fueled by viral spectacle and dominance of the attention economy, but who now faces the risk of being "drowned out by an endless stream of convincing noise" from AI-generated disinformation.

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What’s next

The upcoming midterm elections in the U.S. could be a major test for the impact of AI-generated disinformation, as fabricated videos or audio targeting candidates could spread rapidly before being debunked.

The takeaway

The emergence of highly realistic AI-generated video content represents a concerning shift in the information landscape, as it gives bad actors the ability to cheaply produce convincing fake footage that could undermine democratic processes and erode public trust in political communication.