“Seedance is basically using Sora as a crutch to cross the river” — that’s a pretty interesting take. At first glance it sounds like they’re just copying, but when you think about it, it’s actually pretty objective.
There’s nothing shameful about being a latecomer. Sora blazed the trail and proved this technical direction is viable, so the followers save a ton of trial-and-error and can focus on real-world deployment and user experience. That’s a pragmatic approach. A lot of domestic products grew this way — scope out the direction first, then go all in.
The real question isn’t who you’re using as a crutch, but whether you can forge your own path after crossing the river, instead of trailing behind forever. From what I’ve seen of Seedance in some real-world scenarios, it’s not just a carbon copy anymore. Do you guys think it’s starting to find its own identity, or is it still just following the leader?