TikTok is rolling out a new feature that gives users the ability to adjust the amount of artificial intelligence-generated content displayed in their feeds. The platform revealed that it currently hosts over 1.3 billion AI videos, and the move comes amid a surge in AI content fueled by tools like OpenAI’s Sora and Google’s Veo 3.
Jade Nester, TikTok’s European director of public policy for safety and privacy, explained, “We know from our community that many people enjoy content made with AI tools, from digital art to science explainers, and we want to give people the power to see more or less of that, based on their own preferences.” Users will be able to manage this by opening the “manage topic” setting on the app and selecting “AI-generated content.” Other customizable topics include fashion, beauty, dance, and current affairs.
How TikTok Labels and Regulates AI Content
TikTok requires creators to clearly label AI-generated content, particularly “realistic” videos, and bans harmful deepfakes involving public figures or crisis events. Any AI content not properly labeled can be removed under its community guidelines. To make identification easier, TikTok will attach an “AI-made” watermark to content produced with its own AI tools or flagged by the C2PA, an industry-wide AI verification initiative.
Alongside user controls, TikTok is investing Ksh 258 million into an AI literacy fund for organizations like Girls Who Code. The fund aims to support educational content that teaches responsible AI usage.
Balancing AI and Human Moderation
The platform is also updating its moderation strategy amid controversy over the planned redundancy of 439 UK-based content moderators. TikTok maintains that AI will reduce human exposure to harmful content, with Brie Pegum, TikTok’s global head of program management for trust and safety, stating, “We’ll have humans as part of that process, but we also think it’s very important to reduce exposure to harmful content as quickly as possible, which is where a lot of the machine support is really helping us work at speed.”
TikTok reports a 76% decrease in distressing content seen by human moderators over the past year thanks to automated systems. This move highlights the platform’s approach to blending AI and human oversight to keep users safe while offering more personalized control over what appears on their feeds.
By Lucky Anyanje