Twitch Streamers' Content to Be Used for Amazon's AI Training by Default, Opt-Out Option Available

Twitch's decision has sparked a heated backlash from the streaming community, with many users expressing concerns over the use of their content for AI training.

The streaming platform will now use creators' content to help train generative AI models for its parent company, Amazon. This move has inspired swift and concentrated backlash from the Twitch community, especially because creators are opted in to having their content used for this AI training by default.

• The decision has sparked a heated debate about the use of user-generated content for AI training, with many users worried that they might be surrendering their content without even knowing it.

• Twitch's approach to breaking this news shows that the company is braced for backlash, framing the change as an opt-out option rather than a new feature.

• In a stream on the official Twitch channel, Twitch Head of Community Mary Kish and Chief Product Officer Mike Minton addressed a live audience of nearly 3,000 aggrieved users, many of whom were posting anti-AI sentiments in the chat.

"Why is it not opt-in? That's what everybody is spamming in chat. I get it. 'Let me opt in versus making me opt out,'" Minton said. "Well, there's an honest answer... If this was opt-in, nobody would opt in. That's honestly the answer."

• Twitch's decision to use user-generated content for AI training is not unique, with Meta using public content from its platforms to train its own AI models.

• Kish noted that even including an opt-out option on Twitch is "a reflection of reacting to this community's voice that you are not wanting to train Gen AI models, and we want to give you that option."

• To opt out of AI training on Twitch, users can navigate to their channel settings (not the creator dashboard), select the security and privacy tab, scroll down to the option "training for generative AI," and toggle it off.

In an effort to address user concerns, Twitch has emphasized that an opt-out option is available, but it's not enabled by default. This move has been met with skepticism by some users, who feel that the company is not doing enough to protect user rights.