New Twitch Feature Uses Channel Content to Train AI Without Asking Permission

On Wednesday, Twitch confirmed reports that the streaming channel was using channel content to train Amazon’s AI models . While we aren’t sure how long the training feature has been active, Twitch has now added an opt-out button to its settings that will allow creators to turn the feature off. However, it is automatically enabled unless its users take action.

AI models, like the ones Amazon uses for Alexa Plus and other projects, require large amounts of content to train them to piece together accurate language or images. The Twitch platform is overflowing with such content, featuring large amounts of video, audio spoken by creators and text in stream chats. However, people who haven’t consented to training may not want their voice, words or video to be analyzed by AI and used in future prompts.

Representatives from Amazon and Twitch did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Twitch’s latest FAQ states, “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.”

To turn off this feature, you can head to Twitch account settings and toggle off the feature that says Training for Generative AI. Twitch says you can still use other AI-powered features like Automods and campaign optimization even if you opt out of training.

It’s unclear what this means for chat on a Twitch channel. You don’t have to be a content creator to participate in a stream, so it’s worth asking whether chats from a streamer’s fans are also being used for this training. Twitch makes no mention of chat or how it’s affected by the training feature, but there could be consent issues around analyzing audience members’ contributions as well as the stream itself.

Many Twitch users also stream other live content, including other creators’ channels. This creates a potential conflict when the original streamer opts out of AI training, but the streamer rebroadcasting their content has AI training enabled. In that case, the AI model could still gain access to the original streamer’s content without their direct consent.

Twitch has also faced legal challenges over copyrighted music in the past, while some content creators have used various methods to circumvent the platform’s music restrictions. Depending on how training data is collected, Amazon could also capture copyrighted music from streaming services for use in its AI models, potentially creating additional legal concerns.