Summary
TLDR:
- TikTok will start labeling AI-generated content to combat misinformation.
- Efforts by tech industry to provide safeguards for AI usage.
TikTok has announced that it will begin labeling content created using artificial intelligence when it’s uploaded from outside its own platform. This move is aimed at combating misinformation on the social media platform. The company stated that while AI offers creative opportunities, it can also confuse or mislead viewers if they are not aware that the content was AI-generated.
In February, Meta announced that it was working on technical standards with industry partners to identify images, and eventually video and audio, generated by AI tools. Other tech giants like Google have also indicated plans to implement AI labels on their platforms. Additionally, U.S. President Joe Biden signed an executive order last year advocating for digital watermarking and labeling of AI-generated content.
TikTok is teaming up with the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity to utilize Content Credentials technology, which can attach metadata to content and recognize AI-generated content. The platform has started using this technology on images and videos, with plans to expand it to audio content in the future. Content Credentials will be attached to all content made on TikTok, providing transparency and information on how the content was created or edited.
TikTok users have been encouraged to label AI-generated content in the past, especially if it contains realistic images, audio, or video. The platform’s Head of Operations & Trust and Safety, Adam Presser, emphasized the importance of helping users distinguish between fact and fiction in AI-generated content. TikTok’s actions regarding AI labeling come amidst a legal battle with the U.S. government, as the platform and its parent company, ByteDance, challenge a new American law that could lead to a ban of the app in the U.S.