For better or worse, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming how we consume, create, and deliver content.
I am strongly against companies scrapping data from any source for use in AI without permission from content owners and creators. You should automatically be opt-ed out when using social media platforms and content management systems.
Needless to say, I was slightly concerned about this news. Automattic released a statement, which helped ease my concerns, stating it protects user choice in how data is collected for AI.
We are working directly with select AI companies as long as their plans align with what our community cares about: attribution, opt-outs, and control.”
This is a friendly reminder to remember that what we post on the internet is not only permanent but may be shared or utilized in ways not initially intended. Regardless, content owners should be aware of how their content is being used, especially if it is for monetary gain.
Automattic says it already discourages AI crawlers from gathering content and is giving users and creators the option to have their content blocked from being used for AI training purposes. Check out these guides if you run a WordPress.com site or Tumblr blog and do not want your content to be used to train AI.
Other platforms are already using some of your posts to train AI bots. Last year, Reuters reported that Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, is training its AI bot with public posts. I stopped posting on social media to have more control over my content.
As we continue to move into a world with AI, it is important to keep in mind how our content and data may be used. As it has always been the case, what we post online can have ramifications whether it is picked up by AI or not.
Looking to the future, I hope more individuals, creators, and users have more control and say over how their content is used and what content is delivered to them.
What are your thoughts on companies using your posts and content to train AI tools?
Joe Gullo