TikTok is introducing a new feature that enables them to reduce the volume of AI-made media appearing in their timelines. This move comes as the company disclosed that it currently hosts in excess of 1 bn content made with AI.
Pilot Phase and Launch
The new functionality is being tested over the next few weeks before a widespread release. This advancement comes amid a surge in AI content, driven by emerging content generation software.
The Broader AI Trend
Recent reports that almost a tenth of the most rapidly expanding channels on a competing service primarily display clips produced artificially. A significant portion of this output is classified as low-quality AI content, a label for poor-quality, bulk-generated content that is often nonsensical or bizarre.
Our research shows that numerous viewers enjoy content produced via AI tools, including computer-generated images to science explainers, and we want to provide users the power to increase or decrease of that, depending on their own preferences,” stated a spokesperson.
Volume and Proportions
TikTok shared that there are presently 1.3 billion videos on its service identified as artificially created. Collectively, more than 100 million videos are uploaded to the platform every day, making AI content a relatively small part of its total content library.
User Control Features
Users will be able to limit or boost the level of AI-generated videos they see by accessing the topic control option in the app and picking the AI content topic. Additional categories that are already be adjusted under the tool encompass current affairs, clothing, aesthetics, and movement.
Content Labeling and Policies
TikTok’s policies require users to label “realistic” AI-made content, and it bans malicious deepfakes of well-known individuals or critical incidents. Any authentic-looking AI-generated clip that is without a tag can be taken down under its user guidelines.
Additionally, the platform will now apply an “AI-made” tag to content made using its proprietary AI systems, or detected by an cross-platform project for recognizing content made by AI. This measure is aimed to help prevent users from seeking to bypass the labeling process.
Responsible AI Funding
TikTok is additionally establishing a two million dollar educational fund for experts and institutions to develop educational content about responsible artificial intelligence. This initiative will benefit non-profit groups focused on training computer science.
Moderation Strategy
TikTok has defended its content review process, following debate over proposals to make redundant hundreds of safety staff in the United Kingdom. The company is planning to cut hundreds of positions in its trust and safety division in its British office, with worker representatives and internet security professionals voicing alarm that humans are being replaced by automated systems.
A trust and safety lead stated that human moderation would remain essential, but AI can protect employees by removing the most distressing content ahead of it gets reviewed by staff. The company reported a significant reduction in shocking and graphic content reviewed by content reviewers over the last 12 months due to the use of its automated systems.
“We think that it’s essential to balance staff and AI to ensure user safety,” the executive stated. “We’ll have people as integral to the approach, but we further consider it’s highly necessary to limit contact with dangerous material as rapidly, which is why a extensive automated help is making a difference work at speed.”
