ByteDance and MiniMax Go Head-to-Head with New AI Video Models!

On July 31, 2026, ByteDance launched Seedance 2.5, a closed API model generating 30-second videos, while MiniMax unveiled H3, an open-weight model allowing local customization. Both aim to dominate AI video production, but differ in architecture and operational approach. Seedance claims better video quality, whereas H3 is cheaper and more adaptable to local server use. This competition signals a pivotal shift in the AI video landscape.