TikTok is introducing a new feature that allows them to cut down on the amount of AI-made media appearing in their timelines. This move comes as the company disclosed that it presently contains over 1 bn AI-generated clips.
Trial and Implementation
The new functionality is being tested over the next few weeks before a global launch. This development coincides with a surge in content created by AI, driven by emerging content generation software.
AI Content on Other Platforms
Recent reports that approximately a tenth of the quickest rising channels on a competing service only show content made by AI. A large amount of this material is classified as mass-produced AI material, a phrase for substandard, bulk-generated content that is typically nonsensical or dreamlike.
Our research shows that a lot of users like content created using AI tools, ranging from digital art to educational videos, and we want to offer the community the option to adjust the amount of that, based on their own preferences,” said a company executive.
Volume and Proportions
The platform disclosed that there are now 1.3bn videos on its network labeled as artificially created. Overall, in excess of 100 m videos are added to the app daily, making AI content a limited percentage of its total content library.
How to Adjust Settings
Viewers will be capable of reduce or increase the amount of artificial media they view by opening the topic control feature in the app and picking the AI content topic. Further subjects that can already be adjusted under the setting include news, clothing, beauty, and choreography.
Platform Guidelines
The platform’s guidelines oblige creators to tag “realistic” artificially created content, and it bans harmful fake videos of public figures or critical incidents. Any realistic AI video that is not labeled can be taken down under its terms of service.
Furthermore, the service will henceforth attach an AI-generated watermark to content created with its proprietary AI systems, or flagged by an cross-platform project for spotting AI-generated material. This action is aimed to deter users from seeking to circumvent the disclosure requirement.
Responsible AI Funding
TikTok is furthermore launching a two million dollar educational fund for experts and institutions to develop educational content about using AI responsibly. This initiative will support charitable organizations focused on training computer science.
Moderation Strategy
The platform has defended its content review process, following discussion over plans to make redundant hundreds of review team members in the UK. The company is planning to reduce 439 jobs in its trust and safety team in its British office, with labor groups and digital protection specialists expressing worry that people are being substituted by automated systems.
A company official stated that people-led review would remain essential, but artificial intelligence can safeguard staff by filtering out the most harmful content ahead of it gets reviewed by humans. TikTok announced a 76% decrease in disturbing and violent content reviewed by safety staff over the last 12 months due to intervention by its AI tools.
“We think that it’s essential to balance people and machines to ensure user safety,” the executive stated. “We’ll have humans as involved in the system, but we further consider it’s highly necessary to reduce exposure to harmful content as quickly as possible, which is where a extensive automated help is really helping us work at speed.”
