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China has announced plans for mandatory red-flagging of all generative AI online content posted in China.
In practice, this will likely appear through audible disclaimers in audio files, watermarks on images and videos, and notices attached to all posts regardless of format. While the rules would require users to tag their content, it’s expected that metadata or platform-based notices will catch AI-generated content that users don’t tag.
There will also be a duty placed on service providers to analyze content where metadata is missing and assign a tag where appropriate. Service providers will also need to share their strategies and plans for implementing the plan with one another, so that everyone can improve their processes across different companies, as reported by the Register on Monday (Sep, 16).
Will the plan to tag AI content pass?
The plan proposed by the Cyberspace Administration of China is still in its draft phase until October. However, it’s likely to pass and the timeline appears to be to offer platforms the time to prepare for its implementation. Technically, there is time for the public to comment and offer opinions on the plan but it’s expected to pass in its current form.
After all, China is no stranger to online censorship, with many apps still outright banned in China that are widely used in other parts of the world.
Nonetheless, the flagging of generative AI content is not an extreme view only held by China. Artists around the world have publicly criticized generative AI and the UK government has also looked into legal means to protect artists from AI-generated deepfakes in the music industry, for example.
Chinese-owned TikTok is leading the way in terms of social media platforms that are tagging generative AI content. Mandatory disclaimers across the internet might be a long way off for the rest of the world but are expected to be firmly in place in China by the end of the year.
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