Creating content on Twitch? Unless you’ve changed your settings, it’s being used to train AI.
Twitch creators recently spotted a “Training for Generative AI” setting in account security that’s toggled on by default. “Allow your channel content to train generative AI content models at Amazon,” the description reads. Needless to say, people weren’t happy.
Digging in to Amazon-owned Twitch’s FAQs reveals a bit more information on what, exactly, this means.
“Generative AI content models are AI tools that can help create or synthesize content outputs like text or images when given instructions or prompts because they are also trained on content,” reads the FAQ. “When you allow training, that means that your content may be used for future Gen AI model improvements. An example of what happens when you allow your content to be used for training a GenAI content model is that your audio might help refine models that create speech to text, which would help improve captions at Twitch but would also help improve captions across Amazon.”
Addressing the backlash during a livestream on Wednesday, Twitch’s chief product officer Mike Minton gave a slightly revealing answer to the question of why the option was switched on by defaul.
Mashable Light Speed
“Well, there’s an honest answer,” Minton said, per Kotaku. “And I think most of you probably can appreciate this: If it was opt-in, nobody would opt-in. Um, that’s honestly the answer. So it’s going to be on by default.”
Mashable has reached out to Twitch for comment.
How to opt out of training AI on Twitch
The option to opt out of having your Twitch content used by Amazon to train generative AI is somewhat buried in the Settings.
Click on your profile picture, then head to Settings, and then Security and Privacy. Here, you can find the Training for Generative AI toggle and switch it off.
Twitch FAQs note that toggling off won’t affect AI-supported features on your channel, such as captions and safety tools.
Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable’s Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts.
