TikTok Is Testing an AI-Powered “remix” Feature, but It Can Be Opted Out.
When you publish something online, you give up some control to anyone who might stumble upon it. Photos, videos, text, audio recordings: all of this content can be downloaded, screenshotted, and used in any way anyone else desires. That’s the risk of publishing online.
The thing is, you might not think that the platform you publish content on would go to great lengths to help other users reuse your content—but that’s exactly what TikTok is now doing with its new AI-powered “remix” feature.
What are AI “remixes” on TikTok?
AI-powered remixes are intended to become a meme-making tool. According to CNET , remixes allow TikTok users to create their own images based on their content—powered by AI, of course. For example, if you post a video about your morning coffee routine, a viewer could use remixes to create an image of you holding a coffee, with the caption “First sip in the morning looks like this” or whatever they want. The idea, apparently, is to share this new AI-generated image in the comments of your video, which is another way to boost engagement on the platform.
TikTok remixes are currently only in the testing phase.
It’s important to note that remixes are not yet an official TikTok feature. TikTok confirmed to CNET that AI-powered remixes are currently an experimental feature, and the company is testing them on a limited basis. There are no final plans for further rollout, and TikTok states that the way remixes work may change before their full launch—if that ever happens.
I’m sure some users will find creative ways to create funny AI memes using remixes, but I have serious privacy concerns. Content creators may be reluctant to subject their images to TikTok’s AI processing, as allowing your content to be used in remixes essentially means consenting to the use of your face and video to train the company’s AI models. The good news is that TikTok allows you to opt out of remixes; the bad news is that you can’t opt out of them en masse. Instead, the app forces you to disable remixes for every video you publish. It seems the company assumes you’ll want to allow remixes for some videos but not others, when in reality, many creators will likely prefer to block them entirely.
How to Opt Out of AI-Generated Remixes on TikTok
Not everyone needs to worry about this yet, as TikTok is only testing the AI-powered remix feature on select users. However, if you post videos on TikTok, it’s worth checking your settings to ensure this feature is disabled—if you want to opt out.
To do this, tap one of your TikTok videos, then tap the three dots in the bottom right corner. Scroll down and select “Privacy Settings.” If you’re participating in the trial, you’ll see the “Allow AI to remix content” option enabled. Tap it to disable it.