It appears Twitch has quietly started using content created by streamers, like VODs and livestreams, to help train Amazon AI models. And the only way to opt out of your content being used this way is to dig through your account’s security settings to find a toggle buried inside.
On August 12, content creator and streaming reporter Zach Bussey posted a screenshot of what appears to be a newly added option on Twitch to allow users to opt out of having their content and videos used to train future Amazon-created AI models and generative AI tools. The screenshot quickly went viral, as did Bussey’s link to the specific settings submenu within your Twitch account where you can find this AI training opt-out toggle. It appears this was added very recently and without any real warning or notice.
If you don’t opt out using this hard-to-find setting, which can be found here, Twitch will be able to use your channel’s content to “train generative AI content models at Amazon.” Twitch also clarified that turning off this setting will not block AI-powered features on Twitch, including auto-commenting, ad selection, and chat moderation tools.
Kotaku has reached out to Twitch for more information.
On a Twitch FAQ page about generative AI training, the streaming company provides a possible example of what happens if you do allow Amazon to train its AI models using your content:
“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.”
This same FAQ page also makes it clear that every part of a Twitch channel can be used for training Amazon AI models. This includes streams, VODs, clips, chats, pictures, and text on your channel. Twitch also says that if you opt out but chat in the stream of someone else who hasn’t opted out, that material of yours can be used for AI training. Fun stuff!
Twitch addresses AI opting-in in a depressing livestream
During a stream addressing the situation on Wednesday, Twitch’s head of community, Mary Kish, tried to downplay Twitch’s use of AI and claimed that the reason people can’t opt out of all of Twitch’s AI features is that she doesn’t think Twitch “can function without some forms of AI.” She also confirmed she has personally opted out, but clarified that AI is now used “across the board” and within many livestreaming “communities.”
Perhaps the most damning moment came early in the Stream when chief product officer Mike Minton addressed the chat, asking why this option was opt-out instead of opt-in.
“Well, there’s an honest answer,” said Minton. “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.”
Later in the stream, Kish and Minton also walked viewers through how to access the setting, seemingly admitting it is a bit hidden. Minton also referenced a recent study that he claims shows that 50 percent of adults are now using AI tools like ChatGPT. Minton also said he was “comfortable” with AI training and, if he was a streamer, he would not opt out.
When a commenter asked the duo what would happen if they streamed with someone who hasn’t opted out, Minton seemed not to have an answer, but admitted it was a “good question.” He also confirmed that Twitch has no plans to implement an option for users to easily see which channels are opted in and opted out of AI training.
“Not tone deaf here in terms of knowing where the community stands,” said Minton when a commenter pointed out that users are overwhelmingly against this move, as seen on Twitch’s own user feedback site. “Feedback has been quite clear,” he added. Another person asked why Twitch didn’t email people about the change; Kish said that was a “good question” and then added, “not everyone reads their emails” and said that DMs and word-of-mouth get the information “further.”
“That’s not the best answer, but creators don’t always read their emails,” claimed Kish.
It isn’t surprising that Amazon, one of the tech giants desperate to win the “AI WAR,” would start tapping into Twitch to help it further train its genAI models and tools. Many of these companies are desperate for more content to feed to their AI machines as they burn through everything available online and in libraries and bookstores. At least for now, you can opt out. But how long will Amazon let users opt out for before it decides it wants everything on Twitch fed into its AI models as it competes with ChatGPT, Google, and others?
