The US ban on TikTok might be less about data privacy and more about the app’s cutting-edge AI recommendation system. This episode examines why Washington insiders are concerned about TikTok’s ability to influence users with AI content. How does this relate to broader fears about AI information wars and personalized content manipulation? It also discusses the potential for policy shifts and the implications of TikTok’s next steps.

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Welcome back to the AI Daily Brief today We are talking about something that has Been a huge point of conversation in the Tech and really just everywhere in the World which is of course the looming Tik Tock ban by the US government I haven't Really covered it on this show because Of course we're not a general Tech show Even though it's been lurking around the Horizon and has been such a dominant Force however I thought today as the ban Officially looms that it would be worth Discussing at least this one specific Dimension about it which was Encapsulated in a piece by Fast Company Yesterday one reason the US government Is so spooked by Tik Tock AI so here's The tldr for those who haven't been Paying attention although I would be Very surprised if you guys weren't Pretty up to speed on this there has Been a long-term conversation around Whether Tik Tok should be banned in the United States many in Washington Consider the app a national security Risk because it could be used to spy on Millions of Americans and spread Propaganda the issue here is of course That the app's parent company bite dance Is based in China now bite Dan claims That the user data is stored in the US But has been non-committal about whether They share data with the Chinese Government lawmakers haven't been all

That clear around exactly why they Consider Tik tok's user data such a Serious National Security concern which For what it's worth has caused a ton of Consternation among Tik tok's users but Mark Sullivan of fast company has put Together a theory that it all has to do With AI powered content he presented the View from a Washington Insider that China is playing the long game with Tik Tok the key Innovation with Tik Tok While initially about a type of short Form video that creates effectively Video or audio memes it success was Really about its recommendation Algorithm Tik Tok is unbelievably Powerful as serving people content That's going to interest them even if They're not sure or couldn't articulate Why they would be interested if you've Ever been flipping through Tik Tok Scrolling through your for you page Their algorithm takes into account not Just things like likes and comments but Micro signals like how much longer you Watch one video as opposed to your Average with every other video Tik Tok Will then test aggressively serving you A barrage of somewhat related content All of which is on the one hand Extraordinarily effective at it keeping Attention and positively people would Say discovering things that are going to Be of interest to you but from a more

Negative side nothing that we've ever Seen more aggressively accentuates the Problem of filter bubbles I'm a weird One for someone like Tik Tok because I Genuinely like checking out news from All political perspectives to see how Different people are responding to the Same event and I can watch Tik Tok try To lead me down either conservative Rabbit holes on the one hand or liberal Rabbit holes on the other in ways that Are subtle powerful and in some cases Insidious anyways the point is that Again the key Innovation with Tik Tok is About its algorithm and the concern is That that capability only increases as AI models improve Sullivan Source says That the key concern is that quote Because AI makes generating content Cheaper the Chinese government might be Able to Leverage What it knows about Each Tik Tok user and generate content For them that especially tailor to Persuade them in fact one thing that the Author of this piece Muses that is Totally true is that the mobilization Ation of young people trying to avoid The ban going into force is in fact a Demonstration that the platform can Coales political power one of the Funnier and frankly more Quintessentially American behaviors in This story is rather than simply Accepting their concern around China

Stealing our data us Tik Tok users have Instead on mass decided to go download a Similar app that is explicitly owned by The Chinese Communist Party called Rednote it has been through most of this Week the number one most downloaded app On Android and iPhone and shows the true Magnitude of not only our rebelliousness But our petulance anyway let's talk About this idea of being able to mass Generate personally tailored content for Tens of millions of people right now It's not totally possible but it's also Not far away in fact one of the reasons That I think we're not going to see Massive job loss is things like Personally tailored content that are Just going to radically expand how much Stuff has to get produced part of why This reality is getting closer is just The rate of improvement when it comes to Generative video then again assuming Individually tailored content does AR Much faster than most people think it Opens up an entirely new can of worms Tik Tok is far from the only platform That could be leveraged in the way the Washington Insider from the story is Concerned about data on user preferences Isn't particularly difficult to come by And the question is will the Advent of Customized content mean that data Privacy shifts to becoming a generalized National security issue could it lead

Finally to some form of Internet Bill of Rights or a change in the way that Privacy is viewed on a societal level I'm pretty pessimistic but David Green The civil liberties director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation thinks It's well past time for that kind of Policy he said because of congress's Failure to enact comprehensive consumer Privacy legislation corporations from Around the world are free to harvest Americans data store it forever and then Monetize it through ever expanding uses And sales the ban or Force sale of one Social media app will do virtually Nothing to protect Americans data Privacy from another country ultimately The Biden Administration has made it Extremely clear and this seems to be Something that they will have in common With the Trump Administration that AI Development is an arms race that could Be just as important as something like Nuclear weapons and yet it's becoming Clearer and clearer that that arms race Is not just about AI enhanced Weaponry The AI Wars are going to be information Wars and tikt may be the first Battleground in that conflict now in Terms of what happens next this morning Just before I started recording the US Supreme Court upheld the ban at the same Time however the Biden Administration Has said that it doesn't plan to enforce

The law ahead of inauguration which Should theoretically keep the app online For the time being rather than it being Shut down on Sunday meanwhile behind the Scenes there is a of scuttlebutt around Who might be in a position to buy the App should the US divesture go through Elon Musk has been bandied around shark Takes Camino aka Mr Wonderful has Apparently spent the weekend at maralago Trying to convince president Trump that He's the one to take over Tik Tok and Then more recently Mr Beast has been Using his huge following to Advocate That he should have a seat at this table As well now at this stage Tik Tok has Given absolutely no indication that They're actually interested in selling So that's a whole different question and The X Factor as so often is the case is Is president-elect Trump at this stage The CEO of Tik Tok is planning to attend Trump's inauguration so what the heck This all means is anybody's guess we'll Have to wait and see until at least next Week for now that is going to do it for Today's AI Daily Brief until next time Peace