Twitch users: Amazon could use your content for AI training. Here's what you should know

Amazon is now using content on Twitch to train artificial intelligence models — a move that has garnered fierce backlash from both streamers and users on the interactive livestreaming platform.

Tension grows between AI companies seeking data and creators over their content

CBC News

· Posted: Aug 13, 2026 11:24 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour ago

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Twitch users: heads-up.

Amazon, which owns Twitch, is now using content on Twitch to train artificial intelligence (AI) models — a move that has garnered fierce backlash from both streamers and users on the interactive livestreaming platform.

Users' accounts are opted in by default but you can choose to opt out and disable the default setting, the company announced on Wednesday.

Many users have decided to do that after accusing Amazon of using their creative content without their permission.

"The only thing that surprises me is that there is an opt-out toggle at all," one user wrote in a post on Reddit.

"I don't even stream and I turned it off just on principle," another user wrote.

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The latest controversial policy comes as tensions grow between AI companies seeking data and creators demanding more control over their own content.

It also comes on the heels of other major streaming and gaming platforms, including YouTube Live, Netflix and Roblox, using AI for various purposes such as content optimization, live production assistance and recommendations.

As part of the new policy, Amazon will be able to collect streams, clips, images, chats and channel content for AI training purposes, according to Twitch.

In order to turn the default setting off, users will need to click on their Twitch profile picture and go to Settings, then to Security and Privacy. There, you can disable the switch for Training for Generative AI.

When asked why users are given the choice to opt out rather than opt in, the company's chief product officer, Mike Minton, said most users would not voluntarily agree to opt into the data collection if was not rolled out by default.

'On by default'

"If it was opt-in, nobody would opt-in ... that’s honestly the answer. So it’s going to be on by default," Minton said in a livestream on the website on Wednesday.

Minton's comments ignited further backlash from the Twitch community.

"It's an implicit understanding that they know they aren't doing something popular," one Reddit user said.

"If no one would opt in to your new "feature," the feature you are introducing is anti-consumer," another user wrote.

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Users also described the setting as hard to find on the website, accusing Twitch of doing that by design.

CBC News has reached out to Twitch but did not immediately hear back.

Disabling the setting will not block AI-powered features on Twitch, according to the company, which includes auto-commenting, ad selection and chat moderation tools.

Twitch said collected data will not be resold, but users are concerned about how the content would be used.

Hundreds of users decried the new policy during Twitch's livestream, accusing the company of exploiting creators' work.

Reuters said Twitch could not confirm whether user content had already been scraped for training.