{"slug": "chinas-minimax-curbs-overseas-access-to-new-ai-video-model-over-copyright", "title": "China’s MiniMax curbs overseas access to new AI video model over copyright disputes", "summary": "China's artificial intelligence company MiniMax has open-sourced its new H3 video model but imposed licensing restrictions on users in the US, EU, UK, and South Korea, citing regulatory uncertainties and ongoing copyright-related legal proceedings. The model's weights are freely available to developers, but those in major markets must apply for a formal licence, while paid API access remains globally available.", "body_md": "# China’s MiniMax curbs overseas access to new AI video model over copyright disputes\n\nH3 model enters the generative video battleground, but licensing carve-outs restrict use in US, EU, UK and South Korea\n\n[Minxiao Chang](/author/minxiao-chang)in Shenzhen\n\n[artificial intelligence company MiniMax](https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3362540/video-ai-minimax-challenges-bytedance-low-price-open-weights-new-h3-model?module=inline&pgtype=article)has open-sourced its new H3 video model but imposed licensing conditions on users in major overseas markets including the US and European Union, underscoring the\n\n[copyright challenges](https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3357005/surge-ai-related-court-cases-fuels-calls-china-clarify-its-laws?module=inline&pgtype=article)in generative video AI.\n\nAfter the Shanghai-based company released the model’s weights to developers on Monday, users found that the licence restricted free access in the US, EU, UK and South Korea.\n\nThe weights – the underlying parameters that encode its intelligence – allow developers to use, copy, modify and distribute the software without paying MiniMax.\n\nTo ensure compliance, developers in major markets must “apply for a formal licence”, the company said.\n\n[compliance controls](https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3360399/china-works-ai-safety-benchmark-regulators-target-large-model-risks?module=inline&pgtype=article)and safeguards were in place, it could authorise usage.\n\nAccess via application programming interface – a paid subscription through the firm’s website or authorised third parties – remained globally available, it said.\n\nMiniMax said the regional carve-out was due to regulatory uncertainties and ongoing copyright-related legal proceedings.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chinas-minimax-curbs-overseas-access-to-new-ai-video-model-over-copyright", "canonical_source": "https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3362951/chinas-minimax-curbs-overseas-access-new-ai-video-model-over-copyright-disputes?utm_source=rss_feed", "published_at": "2026-08-04 12:00:12+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-08-04 12:43:28.841526+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["generative-ai", "ai-products", "ai-policy"], "entities": ["MiniMax", "H3"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chinas-minimax-curbs-overseas-access-to-new-ai-video-model-over-copyright", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chinas-minimax-curbs-overseas-access-to-new-ai-video-model-over-copyright.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chinas-minimax-curbs-overseas-access-to-new-ai-video-model-over-copyright.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/chinas-minimax-curbs-overseas-access-to-new-ai-video-model-over-copyright.jsonld"}}