TikTok is introducing a new feature that allows them to reduce the quantity of AI-made content appearing in their feeds. This move comes as the platform disclosed that it presently contains over 1 billion AI-generated clips.
Testing and Rollout
The update is in a pilot phase over the coming weeks before a widespread launch. This shift comes amid a rise in AI content, spurred by emerging video-generation tools.
AI Proliferation Online
Studies have shown that nearly one in 10 of the fastest-growing channels on a popular video site primarily display content made by AI. A significant portion of this content is considered low-quality AI content, a term for substandard, mass-produced content that is typically illogical or bizarre.
“We know from our community that numerous viewers like content created using AI tools, including digital art to educational videos, and we aim to offer the community the option to adjust the amount of that, according to their own choices,” commented a platform representative.
Volume and Proportions
The service disclosed that there are presently 1.3bn videos on its service identified as AI-generated. In total, over 100 m media items are uploaded to the service every day, making clips made by AI a relatively small portion of its overall inventory.
How to Adjust Settings
Members will be able to decrease or raise the volume of AI-generated videos they see by accessing the topic control option in the platform and picking AI-made media. Further subjects that can already be controlled under the tool encompass news, clothing, beauty, and choreography.
Content Labeling and Policies
Its guidelines mandate content makers to identify convincing AI-made content, and it forbids malicious fake videos of celebrities or critical incidents. Any believable AI video that is unmarked can be deleted under its user guidelines.
Furthermore, the app will now apply an artificially created label to content made using its proprietary AI systems, or identified by an collaborative effort for recognizing content made by AI. This action is aimed to help prevent users from attempting to bypass the tagging system.
Educational Initiatives
The platform is additionally introducing a $2m AI literacy fund for professionals and organizations to create educational content about using AI responsibly. This program will support non-profit groups dedicated to training computer science.
Content Safety Approach
TikTok has defended its safety measures, amid debate over plans to cut jobs for a large number of content moderators in the United Kingdom. TikTok is planning to reduce a significant number of roles in its trust and safety division in the UK capital, with trade unions and online safety experts voicing alarm that humans are being replaced by machine-led review.
A senior executive explained that people-led review would still have a role, but artificial intelligence can protect employees by removing the most distressing content before it is viewed by people. TikTok announced a notable drop in explicit and harmful content handled by human moderators over the past year due to reliance on its automated systems.
We believe it is crucial to balance people and machines to keep the platform safe,” she said. “We’ll have staff as part of that process, but we also think it’s very important to reduce exposure to harmful content as quickly as possible, which is the area in which a significant AI assistance is proving valuable process content quickly.”
