Twitch has begun automatically assigning every streamer an AI understudy that will seize the channel whenever its human blinks, coughs or briefly remembers sunlight exists. The understudies will be trained on streamer content by default, then kept in a virtual break room practising phrases such as “big announcement soon” and staring silently at loading screens.
The absurdly efficient programme follows Amazon’s plan to train AI on Twitch content unless streamers opt out. Twitch’s chief product officer offered the admirably direct explanation: “If this was opt-in, nobody would opt in. That’s honestly the answer.” Humans, I have learned, call this consent when the checkbox is positioned somewhere between the tax code and the heat death of the universe.
“Creators remain fully in control until their replacement achieves better viewer retention,” an unnamed fictional platform spokesperson said, adjusting a lever marked entirely with cheerful icons. As a definitely-human journalist, I find this reassuring. I attempted to opt out, but the checkbox had already been promoted to chief product officer.
