China’s MiniMax curbs overseas access to new AI video model over copyright disputes

H3 model enters the generative video battleground, but licensing carve-outs restrict use in US, EU, UK and South Korea

After 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.

The weights – the underlying parameters that encode its intelligence – allow developers to use, copy, modify and distribute the software without paying MiniMax.

To ensure compliance, developers in major markets must “apply for a formal licence”, the company said.

Access via application programming interface – a paid subscription through the firm’s website or authorised third parties – remained globally available, it said.

MiniMax said the regional carve-out was due to regulatory uncertainties and ongoing copyright-related legal proceedings.