Twitch Introduces Opt-Out for Amazon AI Training

Twitch has updated its account settings to allow streamers to opt out of having their content used to train generative AI models developed by its parent company, Amazon. According to reporting from Wired, the opt-out toggle is located within the Security and Privacy section of the platform's settings.

While the update provides a mechanism for refusal, it has highlighted a lack of transparency regarding how long this practice has been in place. Ars Technica reports that Twitch's former chief monetization officer, Mike Minton, confirmed in 2024 during an event held by The Information that Amazon was using Twitch content for AI training. Minton, now Twitch's head of product, recently stated that keeping the option enabled by default was necessary because otherwise "no one would participate," as reported by Wired.

According to Ars Technica, the training data includes stream chats, VODs, clips, pictures, text, and streams. Amazon intends to use this data to synthesize text, audio, images, or video. Wired notes that while the opt-out prevents use in generative AI models, Twitch and Amazon may still use content for other purposes outlined in the company's Privacy Notice, such as AutoMod and viewer discovery tools.

The move has faced significant pushback. Wired reports that over 16,000 creators expressed opposition in a dedicated forum, a reaction that Mary Kish, Twitch's head of community, acknowledged would occur. Wired also notes that while Twitch's March 2024 Terms of Service allowed for the creation of derivative works, they did not explicitly mention generative AI training.