The platform is rolling out a new feature that allows them to cut down on the volume of artificial intelligence-produced content appearing in their timelines. This step comes as the platform announced that it now features more than 1 bn content made with AI.
Trial and Implementation
The new functionality is undergoing trials over the coming weeks before a widespread release. This development aligns with a increase in AI-generated material, driven by recent content generation software.
The Broader AI Trend
Studies have shown that nearly 10% of the quickest rising content creators on another major platform primarily display AI-generated videos. A significant portion of this content is deemed “AI slop”, a term for poor-quality, mass-produced content that is often absurd or bizarre.
“We know from our community that many people appreciate content produced via AI tools, from digital art to educational videos, and we aim to provide users the power to see more or less of that, based on their own likes,” said a spokesperson.
AI on the Platform
TikTok disclosed that there are currently over a billion videos on its app tagged as artificially created. Overall, over 100 m pieces of content are uploaded to the service each day, making AI content a relatively small portion of its overall inventory.
User Control Features
Users will be in a position to limit or boost the level of AI-generated videos they watch by accessing the topic control feature in the platform and selecting “AI-generated content”. Additional categories that can already be adjusted under the setting include news, style, aesthetics, and movement.
AI Disclosure Rules
The platform’s rules oblige content makers to tag “realistic” AI-generated content, and it prohibits dangerous deepfakes of well-known individuals or crisis events. Any authentic-looking AI-generated clip that is not labeled can be taken down under its community policies.
In addition, the platform will from now on add an AI-generated label to content created with its built-in AI features, or detected by an cross-platform project for recognizing content made by AI. This step is intended to deter users from attempting to bypass the disclosure requirement.
Responsible AI Funding
The platform is furthermore introducing a two million dollar educational fund for experts and organizations to develop educational content about using AI responsibly. This project will benefit charitable organizations dedicated to teaching computer science.
Content Safety Approach
TikTok has defended its moderation strategy, during controversy over proposals to cut jobs for hundreds of safety staff in Britain. The company is set to eliminate hundreds of positions in its content moderation team in its British office, with labor groups and internet security professionals voicing alarm that humans are being replaced by automated systems.
A company official clarified that people-led review would remain essential, but artificial intelligence can safeguard staff by eliminating the most graphic content ahead of it gets reviewed by people. The company announced a 76% decrease in disturbing and violent content reviewed by content reviewers over the previous year due to intervention by its AI tools.
We believe it is crucial to integrate humans and technology to ensure user safety,” she said. “We’ll have humans as part of that process, but we additionally believe it’s extremely critical to reduce exposure to unsafe media as swiftly, which is why a extensive automated help is really helping us operate efficiently.”
