TikTok is introducing a new feature that enables them to reduce the quantity of artificial intelligence-produced content appearing in their timelines. This move comes as the service disclosed that it currently hosts in excess of 1 billion AI-generated clips.
Pilot Phase and Launch
This change is being tested over the next few weeks before a widespread rollout. This advancement aligns with a surge in AI content, spurred by emerging video-generation tools.
AI Proliferation Online
Studies have shown that nearly one in 10 of the quickest rising channels on another major platform exclusively feature AI-generated videos. A significant portion of this output is classified as mass-produced AI material, a term for inferior, mass-produced content that is typically absurd or surreal.
Based on user feedback that numerous viewers appreciate content produced via AI tools, from computer-generated images to educational videos, and we aim to give people the option to increase or decrease of that, according to their own preferences,” said a company executive.
Scale of AI Content
The service shared that there are now 1.3 billion videos on its app identified as made with AI. In total, more than 100 m videos are uploaded to the platform daily, making AI-generated material a relatively small percentage of its overall inventory.
User Control Features
Members will be able to reduce or increase the volume of AI content they watch by using the content preference feature in the application and selecting “AI-generated content”. Additional categories that can already be adjusted under the filter cover news, clothing, aesthetics, and dance.
AI Disclosure Rules
The platform’s guidelines mandate users to label “realistic” AI-made content, and it prohibits malicious fake videos of celebrities or crisis events. Any believable AI-generated clip that is unmarked can be removed under its terms of service.
Additionally, the platform will now add an artificially created label to content produced via its proprietary AI systems, or detected by an industry-wide initiative for identifying content made by AI. This action is designed to stop users from seeking to bypass the disclosure requirement.
Responsible AI Funding
The platform is additionally introducing a two million dollar awareness program for professionals and institutions to create informative material about ethical AI use. This initiative will support educational bodies focused on training programming and robotics.
Content Safety Approach
TikTok has supported its moderation strategy, following discussion over intentions to lay off a large number of review team members in the UK. The company is set to eliminate 439 jobs in its content moderation department in the UK capital, with trade unions and online safety experts voicing alarm that people are being substituted by AI moderation.
A senior executive stated that human moderation would continue to be important, but automated tools can safeguard staff by filtering out the most graphic content before it is viewed by staff. TikTok reported a 76% decrease in explicit and harmful content seen by safety staff over the last 12 months due to the use of its automated systems.
It is vital to balance people and machines to keep the platform safe,” the executive stated. “We’ll have people as integral to the approach, but we further consider it’s extremely critical to limit contact with unsafe media as quickly as possible, which is the area in which a lot of the machine support is proving valuable work at speed.”
