I'm going to just voice my concerns and opinions about the AI stuff as bluntly as I can. To be clear, this is my way of saying that the pushiness of implementing all these scraping programs is becoming exhausting. I will choose to be respectful despite my instinct to approach this issue aggressively as my disdain for the program should warrant. TL;DR: No one wants these programs, roll them back.

Here's the thing: people come to Twitch for community. People come to Twitch to speak to streamers and other chatters and have real, human experiences with real humans. This is a way to escape our stresses or keep up with our favourite online personalities and be a part of something truly lovely. None of us came to Twitch looking for an AI amalgamation of streamers to act as jingling keys in front of our faces, and I have much concern for anyone who would.

The AI Training programs creates an implication that Twitch is scraping channels to train an AI that can create a 'streamer' to run channels completely lacking in any humanity—a veritable money printing service for those in the company willing to benefit off the labour of others for their own benefit. An AI persona that can run on its own and generate views for no effort at all. I, like many others who use the platform, are deeply troubled by this decision, and it's also disturbing that the program was rolled out and accounts are automatically opted into it. Even the Head of Community has publicly opted out, which speaks volumes to those who understand why.

This is an awful look for Twitch. This is a silent threat to the creators who have helped build the platform, whose livelihoods depend on it, and the users who frequent it. I understand that one opinion isn't enough to change anyone's decision, but it's my hope that enough people will vocalize their disapproval and encourage a rollback on this program.

I understand the practical uses for AI. I understand that technology shifts and changes, and it has been doing so rapidly in the last decade alone. But people are tired of AI. People are tired of companies jumping on the bandwagon of an unregulated tool open to the public that has caused not just harm to our environment and economy, but also people's psyches and ended lives. Is that something Twitch really wants to be associated with? A harmful trend using a dangerous piece of technology that has already taken lives and harmed our planet? Does Twitch really want to be yet another tiresome company shoving AI into every square inch of product that it can?

I urge the company to reassess their decision. Because, frankly, Twitch is not the only streaming platform. And I think that will become increasingly obvious when creators begin to leave, users stop visiting, and other streaming platforms rocket in numbers.

I do not wish to receive a placating response. I just want my voice heard.