Twitch streamers are voicing strong opposition to the platform's new policy allowing Amazon's AI models to train on user content by default. The streaming community learned of the change through informal channels, with many expressing dismay that the option to opt out was not prominently advertised but instead buried deep within security settings.
During a livestream addressing the AI training program, Twitch Chief Product Officer Mike Minton admitted that the opt-out approach was chosen because an opt-in system would likely see minimal participation. "If it was opt-in, nobody would opt in. Um, that’s honestly the answer. So it’s going to be on by default," Minton stated.
This decision has sparked widespread backlash from streamers, who are reportedly angry that their content is being used for AI training without explicit consent. Many are describing the move as deceptive, noting that users are unlikely to disable a setting they are unaware exists. Social media platforms have been flooded with posts from creators expressing their dissatisfaction.
Streamers are actively seeking ways to combat the policy, primarily by informing their communities about the change and guiding them on how to disable the setting. Some have taken to adding a specific tag, "aioptedout," to their channel content to signal to viewers that their streams are safe from AI training, as opting out only affects individual channels. Even if a streamer opts out on their own channel, content from other streamers who have not disabled the setting can still be used for training if viewed in their chat.
Twitch creators are also leveraging the platform's feedback forum. The top suggestion in the “Creators and Stream Features” category calls for all AI features to be optional and opt-in by default, a proposal that has garnered significant support with over 15,000 votes at the time of writing.
The sentiment among many in the gaming community, including players and developers, appears to be a general distrust and dislike of generative AI. Streamers are making their voices heard, indicating that a unified stance might influence Twitch's future decisions regarding AI integration.