TikTok is introducing a fresh option that allows them to lessen the amount of artificial intelligence-produced content appearing in their feeds. This move comes as the company revealed that it now features in excess of 1 bn content made with AI.
Pilot Phase and Launch
This change is being tested over the next few weeks before a widespread release. This development coincides with a increase in AI content, spurred by new AI video creators.
The Broader AI Trend
Studies have shown that approximately one in 10 of the fastest-growing channels on another major platform only show content made by AI. A large amount of this output is classified as “AI slop”, a term for substandard, bulk-generated content that is typically illogical or surreal.
“We know from our community that numerous viewers enjoy content produced via AI tools, from AI artwork to informative clips, and we aim to give people the power to see more or less of that, according to their own preferences,” stated a spokesperson.
Scale of AI Content
TikTok disclosed that there are now over a billion videos on its network identified as artificially created. Overall, more than 100 million media items are submitted to the app every day, making AI content a minor percentage of its complete catalog.
Customizing Your Feed
Members will be in a position to decrease or raise the level of artificial media they see by accessing the topic control setting in the platform and picking the AI content topic. Other topics that currently be modified under the filter include politics, style, cosmetics, and choreography.
Content Labeling and Policies
The platform’s rules oblige content makers to tag “realistic” AI-made content, and it bans dangerous deepfakes of well-known individuals or crisis events. Any authentic-looking AI-generated clip that is without a tag can be removed under its user guidelines.
Additionally, the platform will henceforth attach an AI-generated tag to content created with its proprietary AI systems, or flagged by an industry-wide initiative for recognizing artificial media. This step is intended to stop users from attempting to evade the disclosure requirement.
AI Literacy Programs
The company is furthermore launching a $2m awareness program for professionals and organizations to produce learning resources about using AI responsibly. This program will support educational bodies dedicated to educating computer science.
Content Safety Approach
The platform has defended its safety measures, during debate over plans to lay off a large number of safety staff in the UK. It is set to cut hundreds of positions in its user protection team in the UK capital, with labor groups and digital protection specialists voicing alarm that people are being substituted by machine-led review.
A company official explained that staff-based oversight would continue to be important, but AI can safeguard staff by eliminating the most harmful content ahead of it is viewed by people. TikTok reported a 76% decrease in shocking and graphic content reviewed by human moderators over the past year due to intervention by its AI tools.
It is vital to combine people and machines to ensure user safety,” she said. “We’ll have people as part of that process, but we also think it’s very important to reduce exposure to harmful content as rapidly, which is where a significant AI assistance is proving valuable work at speed.”
