TikTok is introducing a new feature that allows them to reduce the quantity of AI-made videos appearing in their timelines. This initiative comes as the company disclosed that it currently hosts over 1 bn content made with AI.
Testing and Rollout
The update is being tested over the coming weeks before a full-scale rollout. This development aligns with a rise in content created by AI, driven by new content generation software.
AI Proliferation Online
It has been noted that nearly one in 10 of the fastest-growing channels on another major platform only show content made by AI. A considerable share of this material is considered “AI slop”, a term for poor-quality, mass-produced content that is frequently nonsensical or surreal.
Our research shows that many people like content produced via AI tools, from computer-generated images to science explainers, and we want to give people the power to see more or less of that, based on their own choices,” commented a spokesperson.
AI on the Platform
The service shared that there are now 1.3 billion videos on its network tagged as AI-generated. Overall, more than 100 m media items are uploaded to the app each day, making clips made by AI a minor percentage of its overall inventory.
How to Adjust Settings
Viewers will be able to reduce or increase the level of AI-generated videos they watch by opening the topic control option in the app and choosing “AI-generated content”. Further subjects that are already be controlled under the setting include current affairs, fashion, aesthetics, and choreography.
Platform Guidelines
TikTok’s guidelines oblige creators to label “realistic” artificially created content, and it forbids malicious AI impersonations of well-known individuals or critical incidents. Any believable AI video that is without a tag can be taken down under its user guidelines.
Additionally, the service will now apply an “AI-made” label to content produced via its built-in AI features, or detected by an cross-platform project for identifying AI-generated material. This action is designed to stop users from attempting to evade the disclosure requirement.
Educational Initiatives
TikTok is additionally launching a two million dollar educational fund for experts and groups to develop informative material about using AI responsibly. This project will benefit educational bodies dedicated to teaching computer science.
Content Safety Approach
TikTok has defended its safety measures, amid discussion over intentions to cut jobs for a large number of review team members in the UK. TikTok is planning to eliminate 439 jobs in its user protection team in London, with worker representatives and online safety experts raising concerns that people are being substituted by automated systems.
A senior executive stated that staff-based oversight would still have a role, but automated tools can shield workers by filtering out the most distressing content before it gets reviewed by staff. The platform stated a notable drop in shocking and graphic content seen by content reviewers over the previous year due to intervention by its machine learning processes.
“We think that it’s essential to combine staff and AI to ensure user safety,” the official commented. “We’ll have people as integral to the approach, but we additionally believe it’s extremely critical to limit contact with dangerous material as quickly as possible, which is the area in which a significant AI assistance is making a difference process content quickly.”
