TikTok turns to AI for content moderation: Hundreds of moderators to be laid off
TikTok is preparing to cut approximately 300 jobs in Ireland as it shifts to an AI-heavy model for its trust and safety teams.
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TikTok will lay off hundreds of employees working in its trust and safety teams as part of a new operating model that will see increased use of artificial intelligence technologies in content moderation.
It was stated that the company plans to reduce its headcount in Ireland by approximately 300 people. The cuts are expected to affect teams in other markets as well, though it is not yet clear which countries will be affected or to what extent.
Content moderators at TikTok are responsible for identifying and removing harmful and dangerous content on the platform. Because videos are moderated based on language rather than region, it is believed that the reductions may not result in consequences limited to a single country.
AI SHARE IS INCREASING
TikTok officials describe the process as a restructuring aimed at strengthening their global operating model in trust and safety with new technological capabilities. According to company data, 97 percent of content removed between January and April of this year was deleted using automated technologies. It was reported that 99 percent of the content removed via artificial intelligence was taken down before being reported by users.
However, moderators argue that AI has not yet reached sufficient maturity for large-scale content moderation. Speaking to The Independent, an employee stated that models developed for weapon detection could perceive hand gestures mimicking weapons as real weapons, and systems designed for blood detection could interpret stains on a wall as blood.
It is also noted that emojis and coded expressions used to bypass rules in comment sections are not always accurately detected by automated systems. Moderators warn that budget cuts could make users more vulnerable to deepfakes, abuse, and similar harmful content.
The departure of more than 400 employees from the trust and safety team at TikTok's London office last year had also intensified debates over online safety. While pressure continues in the UK to protect children from harmful content on social media, Prime Minister Keir Starmer had announced that social media use for those under 16 would be banned starting in the spring of 2027.
A TikTok spokesperson stated that the restructuring aims to make teams more scalable and agile, to create new expert roles in Dublin, to offer redeployment opportunities, and to improve platform safety through technological innovations.