TikTok Cuts Jobs, Shifts Focus to AI-Powered Content Moderation

TikTok, the popular social media platform owned by ByteDance, is laying off hundreds of employees globally, including a significant number of staff in Malaysia, as the company transitions towards greater reliance on AI for content moderation. On Friday, TikTok confirmed that less than 500 employees in Malaysia were affected by the layoffs, down from earlier reports that over 700 jobs had been cut.

Focus on AI Moderation

The affected employees, many of whom were involved in content moderation, received notices of their dismissal via email on Wednesday, according to sources. In a statement to Reuters, TikTok acknowledged the layoffs and stated that several hundred employees worldwide would be impacted as part of the company's plan to enhance its content moderation processes.

TikTok currently uses a combination of automated tools and human moderators to monitor content. However, with 80% of guideline-violating content now being flagged and removed by AI technologies, the company is looking to further streamline its operations. ByteDance, which has over 110,000 employees across 200 cities globally, is expected to make additional job cuts next month as it consolidates its regional operations.

Investment in Trust and Safety

TikTok has committed to investing $2 billion globally this year to improve trust and safety on its platform, focusing on enhancing efficiency and refining its moderation strategies. The layoffs come at a time when Malaysia has increased regulatory pressure on social media companies, requiring them to apply for an operating license by January as part of an effort to tackle rising cybercrime.

Malaysia, which has reported a surge in harmful content on social media, urged companies like TikTok to intensify their platform monitoring efforts earlier this year.

What This Means for the AI Industry

This shift towards AI-driven content moderation highlights the growing reliance on AI technologies to handle complex, large-scale operations like content monitoring. As TikTok reduces its human moderation workforce, it signals a broader trend where AI is playing a central role in maintaining digital platforms' safety and trustworthiness. This move reflects the AI industry’s expanding capabilities in automating tasks that once required significant human intervention, potentially reshaping content management across all social media platforms.