TikTok is introducing a new feature that enables them to cut down on the volume of AI-created media appearing in their timelines. This initiative comes as the company announced that it now features in excess of 1 billion AI videos.
Pilot Phase and Launch
The update is being tested over the next few weeks before a global release. This shift coincides with a surge in AI-generated material, spurred by new video-generation tools.
AI Proliferation Online
Studies have shown that nearly a tenth of the most rapidly expanding content creators on a competing service exclusively feature clips produced artificially. A significant portion of this content is deemed low-quality AI content, a term for substandard, bulk-generated content that is frequently illogical or bizarre.
Based on user feedback that numerous viewers appreciate content produced via AI tools, including digital art to informative clips, and we want to give people the ability to see more or less of that, depending on their own preferences,” stated a company executive.
AI on the Platform
The platform shared that there are currently over a billion videos on its service labeled as artificially created. Collectively, over 100 m pieces of content are submitted to the service each day, making AI content a limited percentage of its complete catalog.
User Control Features
Users will be able to limit or boost the volume of AI-generated videos they view by accessing the “manage topic” setting in the platform and selecting “AI-generated content”. Further subjects that currently be adjusted under the tool include current affairs, style, cosmetics, and dance.
Platform Guidelines
Its rules mandate users to identify convincing AI-generated content, and it forbids dangerous deepfakes of public figures or crisis events. Any authentic-looking artificial content that is without a tag can be removed under its terms of service.
In addition, the service will henceforth add an “AI-made” tag to content made using its built-in AI features, or detected by an cross-platform project for spotting content made by AI. This measure is designed to help prevent users from seeking to bypass the labeling process.
AI Literacy Programs
The company is also introducing a $2m educational fund for experts and groups to produce learning resources about responsible artificial intelligence. This initiative will benefit non-profit groups focused on teaching computer science.
Content Safety Approach
TikTok has supported its moderation strategy, during controversy over proposals to cut jobs for numerous safety staff in Britain. The company is planning to cut a significant number of roles in its trust and safety division in the UK capital, with trade unions and online safety experts voicing alarm that staff are being displaced by AI moderation.
A senior executive explained that human moderation would still have a role, but artificial intelligence can shield workers by eliminating the most graphic content ahead of it has to be seen by staff. TikTok announced a 76% decrease in shocking and graphic content seen by human moderators over the past year due to intervention by its automated systems.
We believe it is crucial to combine humans and technology to ensure user safety,” the executive stated. “We’ll have staff as part of that process, but we further consider it’s extremely critical to limit contact with dangerous material as swiftly, which is why a lot of the machine support is really helping us process content quickly.”
