TikTok is introducing a new feature that allows them to lessen the volume of AI-made content appearing in their feeds. This initiative comes as the service disclosed that it now features more than 1 thousand million content made with AI.
Testing and Rollout
The new functionality is being tested over the next few weeks before a global release. This shift comes amid a increase in AI-generated material, fueled by emerging video-generation tools.
The Broader AI Trend
Studies have shown that approximately a tenth of the quickest rising video streams on another major platform only show AI-generated videos. A considerable share of this output is considered mass-produced AI material, a phrase for poor-quality, factory-style content that is frequently illogical or surreal.
Based on user feedback that numerous viewers like content made with AI tools, ranging from computer-generated images to science explainers, and we want to give people the option to adjust the amount of that, depending on their own preferences,” said a company executive.
Volume and Proportions
The platform announced that there are currently over a billion videos on its service labeled as made with AI. In total, more than 100 million videos are submitted to the app every day, making clips made by AI a minor portion of its overall inventory.
How to Adjust Settings
Members will be able to decrease or raise the level of AI-generated videos they watch by opening the content preference setting in the platform and choosing AI-made media. Additional categories that can already be adjusted under the setting include news, clothing, aesthetics, and dance.
Content Labeling and Policies
TikTok’s policies mandate content makers to tag convincing AI-made content, and it bans harmful deepfakes of public figures or crisis events. Any believable AI-generated clip that is not labeled can be taken down under its user guidelines.
In addition, the platform will from now on attach an AI-generated label to content made using its proprietary AI systems, or flagged by an industry-wide initiative for identifying artificial media. This action is designed to deter users from attempting to evade the labeling process.
Responsible AI Funding
The platform is also introducing a $2 million AI literacy fund for professionals and organizations to create learning resources about responsible artificial intelligence. This program will assist charitable organizations specializing in educating programming and robotics.
Moderation Strategy
The platform has justified its moderation strategy, amid debate over intentions to lay off hundreds of content moderators in the UK. The company is expected to reduce hundreds of positions in its trust and safety division in its British office, with worker representatives and online safety experts expressing worry that people are being substituted by AI moderation.
A trust and safety lead clarified that staff-based oversight would remain essential, but artificial intelligence can shield workers by removing the most graphic content prior to it has to be seen by staff. The company announced a 76% decrease in explicit and harmful content handled by human moderators over the previous year due to the use of its AI tools.
We believe it is crucial to integrate people and machines to ensure user safety,” she said. “We’ll have staff as involved in the system, but we also think it’s very important to minimize viewing of harmful content as swiftly, which is where a lot of the machine support is proving valuable work at speed.”
