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The platform is rolling out a updated setting that enables them to lessen the volume of AI-made content appearing in their timelines. This move comes as the platform disclosed that it currently hosts in excess of 1 bn AI videos.

Testing and Rollout

This change is being tested over the next few weeks before a full-scale rollout. This development aligns with a rise in AI content, spurred by recent video-generation tools.

AI Proliferation Online

Studies have shown that almost one in 10 of the most rapidly expanding channels on another major platform primarily display content made by AI. A large amount of this material is deemed “AI slop”, a label for substandard, bulk-generated content that is often absurd or dreamlike.

“We know from our community that many people like content created using AI tools, from AI artwork to science explainers, and we aim to give people the option to increase or decrease of that, depending on their own preferences,” said a company executive.

Volume and Proportions

TikTok disclosed that there are now 1.3 billion videos on its app tagged as made with AI. In total, over 100 million pieces of content are added to the service every day, making AI content a minor part of its overall inventory.

Customizing Your Feed

Members will be able to reduce or increase the level of AI content they see by using the topic control option in the app and choosing AI-made media. Further subjects that currently be controlled under the setting encompass news, style, beauty, and movement.

AI Disclosure Rules

Its guidelines require users to identify convincing AI-made content, and it bans dangerous AI impersonations of celebrities or critical incidents. Any realistic AI-generated clip that is not labeled can be removed under its community policies.

Furthermore, the platform will now apply an “AI-made” watermark to content created with its own AI tools, or detected by an collaborative effort for recognizing content made by AI. This measure is intended to deter users from seeking to evade the disclosure requirement.

AI Literacy Programs

The company is additionally launching a $2 million awareness program for professionals and organizations to develop learning resources about responsible artificial intelligence. This initiative will benefit charitable organizations dedicated to teaching programming and robotics.

Platform Protection

TikTok has defended its moderation strategy, during controversy over proposals to make redundant hundreds of review team members in the UK. It is planning to reduce hundreds of positions in its trust and safety team in London, with worker representatives and internet security professionals voicing alarm that staff are being displaced by automated systems.

A trust and safety lead stated that staff-based oversight would still have a role, but automated tools can protect employees by removing the most harmful content ahead of it gets reviewed by humans. TikTok stated a significant reduction in explicit and harmful content seen by content reviewers over the previous year due to the use of its automated systems.

We believe it is crucial to combine staff and AI to ensure user safety,” she said. “We’ll have staff as involved in the system, but we additionally believe it’s highly necessary to minimize viewing of harmful content as quickly as possible, which is the area in which a lot of the machine support is making a difference work at speed.”