TikTok is introducing a updated setting that enables them to lessen the quantity of AI-made content appearing in their timelines. This move comes as the platform revealed that it currently hosts more than 1 bn AI-generated clips.
Pilot Phase and Launch
The update is in a pilot phase over the coming weeks before a global rollout. This development aligns with a surge in content created by AI, spurred by emerging content generation software.
The Broader AI Trend
It has been noted that approximately a tenth of the fastest-growing video streams on a competing service exclusively feature AI-generated videos. A large amount of this content is classified as low-quality AI content, a phrase for inferior, mass-produced content that is typically absurd or dreamlike.
Our research shows that many people enjoy content created using AI tools, from AI artwork to informative clips, and we want to provide users the power to adjust the amount of that, depending on their own choices,” stated a platform representative.
AI on the Platform
The platform announced that there are currently 1.3bn videos on its network labeled as AI-generated. Overall, more than 100 million media items are uploaded to the app daily, making clips made by AI a relatively small portion of its total content library.
How to Adjust Settings
Members will be able to reduce or increase the volume of AI-generated videos they see by opening the “manage topic” setting in the app and picking “AI-generated content”. Other topics that can already be adjusted under the filter cover politics, clothing, aesthetics, and movement.
Platform Guidelines
Its policies require content makers to tag lifelike artificially created content, and it bans malicious AI impersonations of well-known individuals or emergencies. Any believable artificial content that is unmarked can be taken down under its user guidelines.
Additionally, the service will now attach an AI-generated watermark to content made using its built-in AI features, or flagged by an collaborative effort for spotting artificial media. This action is designed to help prevent users from seeking to circumvent the tagging system.
Responsible AI Funding
TikTok is furthermore launching a $2m educational fund for professionals and groups to develop informative material about ethical AI use. This project will benefit educational bodies specializing in training coding and technology.
Moderation Strategy
TikTok has justified its moderation strategy, during controversy over intentions to make redundant hundreds of safety staff in Britain. TikTok is planning to cut a significant number of roles in its trust and safety team in London, with worker representatives and digital protection specialists raising concerns that humans are being replaced by automated systems.
A company official explained that people-led review would continue to be important, but automated tools can safeguard staff by eliminating the most distressing content before it is viewed by people. TikTok announced a significant reduction in disturbing and violent content handled by content reviewers over the last 12 months due to the use of its AI tools.
It is vital to balance staff and AI to keep the platform safe,” she said. “We’ll have staff as part of that process, but we further consider it’s extremely critical to limit contact with harmful content as swiftly, which is the area in which a significant AI assistance is really helping us work at speed.”
