TikTok is introducing a new feature that enables them to lessen the volume of AI-made content appearing in their streams. This step comes as the service disclosed that it now features in excess of 1 bn AI videos.
Pilot Phase and Launch
The update is in a pilot phase over the coming weeks before a full-scale release. This development aligns with a surge in AI content, fueled by new AI video creators.
AI Content on Other Platforms
Studies have shown that approximately one in 10 of the quickest rising channels on a competing service exclusively feature AI-generated videos. A significant portion of this output is deemed low-quality AI content, a phrase for inferior, mass-produced content that is typically nonsensical or dreamlike.
Our research shows that a lot of users appreciate content made with AI tools, from digital art to educational videos, and we aim to give people the option to see more or less of that, depending on their own preferences,” said a company executive.
AI on the Platform
The platform announced that there are currently over a billion videos on its network identified as artificially created. Collectively, more than 100 mn pieces of content are added to the service every day, making AI-generated material a limited portion of its total content library.
User Control Features
Users will be capable of reduce or increase the volume of artificial media they see by using the “manage topic” option in the platform and picking “AI-generated content”. Additional categories that can already be adjusted under the setting encompass current affairs, clothing, aesthetics, and movement.
Platform Guidelines
The platform’s guidelines oblige creators to identify lifelike artificially created content, and it forbids dangerous deepfakes of well-known individuals or critical incidents. Any authentic-looking artificial content that is unmarked can be deleted under its user guidelines.
In addition, the app will now attach an AI-generated tag to content made using its own AI tools, or identified by an industry-wide initiative for identifying content made by AI. This measure is intended to deter users from seeking to circumvent the labeling process.
Educational Initiatives
The company is furthermore launching a $2m educational fund for experts and institutions to develop learning resources about responsible artificial intelligence. This project will benefit non-profit groups focused on teaching computer science.
Moderation Strategy
The video-sharing app has defended its moderation strategy, following controversy over proposals to lay off numerous safety staff in the UK. TikTok is set to reduce 439 jobs in its user protection department in London, with labor groups and digital protection specialists raising concerns that staff are being displaced by automated systems.
A trust and safety lead stated that human moderation would still have a role, but AI can protect employees by removing the most distressing content prior to it has to be seen by humans. TikTok reported a 76% decrease in disturbing and violent content handled by safety staff over the last 12 months due to the use of its machine learning processes.
“We think that it’s essential to combine humans and technology to ensure user safety,” the executive stated. “We’ll have staff as part of that process, but we additionally believe it’s extremely critical to limit contact with unsafe media as quickly as possible, which is the area in which a significant AI assistance is proving valuable process content quickly.”
