TikTok has debuted new manual tags for AI content and revealed plans to begin automatically labeling AI media. Photo Credit: Kelly Sikkema
As the prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) continues to grow in music, on social media, and in different spaces yet, TikTok is beginning to label AI-created videos automatically.
The ByteDance-owned platform, where posts featuring the “Heart On My Sleeve” hashtag are said to have garnered north of 51 million views thus far, unveiled its “new labels” for artificial intelligence media today. Beginning with a manual tagging tool, the controversial video-sharing app now allows creators “to easily inform their community when they post AI-generated content.”
“The new label will help creators showcase the innovations behind their content,” claimed TikTok, “and they can apply it to any content that has been completely generated or significantly edited by AI. It will also make it easier to comply with our Community Guidelines’ synthetic media policy, which we introduced earlier this year.”
(In brief, the mentioned synthetic media policy compels TikTokers to “clearly” disclose the use of AI when uploading “manipulated media that shows realistic scenes.” The policy further bars the on-platform release of “synthetic media that contains the likeness of any real private figure” and outlines AI-content limitations for public figures – albeit without broaching the convoluted subject of potential copyright infringement facilitated by AI.)
Moreover, the tag itself appears as a small-but-noticeable descriptor on the appropriate videos, provided screenshots show. And while the matter seems straightforward enough, TikTok has signaled that it intends to put out “educational videos and resources throughout the coming weeks.” The resources will ostensibly help the TikTok “community learn how and why to use these labels.”
Just in case community members don’t get the message – and presumably to minimize headaches stemming from third-party complaints concerning certain AI clips – TikTok has also gone ahead and started testing a tool that will automatically tag artificial intelligence content accordingly.
“This week, we will begin testing an ‘AI-generated’ label that we eventually plan to apply automatically to content that we detect was edited or created with AI,” spelled out TikTok, the owner of which debuted an AI music-creation app in late June.
Finally, the service has renamed its TikTok “AI effects” offerings “to explicitly include ‘AI’ in their name and corresponding effects label” – a move that’s been attributed to a desire “to drive more clarity around AI-powered” products.
Last week, Stability AI launched Stable Audio, with which users can per the company make “original audio by entering a text prompt and a duration.” Additionally, September has seen the Copyright Office opt against protecting an AI-created image, and Spotify is continuing to lean into artificial intelligence in an effort to enhance its user experience.
