Pinterest Combats AI-Generated Content with New Labeling and Filtering Tools

Pinterest launches new tools to fight AI slop | TechCrunch

Pinterest says it's finally going to do something about the AI slop that's taken over its platform. After an increasing volume of complaints, the social networking and image pinboarding site announced Wednesday a plan to begin labeling AI-generated and AI-modified images. It will also introduce a new option that allows users to reduce the number of generative AI Pins they see. The new features are an indication of how serious a threat generative AI is to platforms built on top of user-generated content, crowdsourcing, and social sharing. AI technology has made it possible for bad actors to flood these platforms with fake images that drown out the human-made content people came to see, devaluing the overall experience. AI-generated Pins and other low-quality AI content -- often referred to as "AI slop" -- have created a backlash among Pinterest's loyal customer base. Now, Pinterest says it will help users more easily identify what's AI and what's not. When users click on an image Pin in closeup, they'll see an "AI modified" label in the bottom left corner. The company says it will analyze the image's metadata to help determine what's AI, but has also developed its own system of classifiers that will automatically detect AI content that "doesn't have obvious markers." Creators will be able to appeal to Pinterest if their content gets labeled incorrectly, according to the company. More importantly, Pinterest says it will give users more control over how much AI content they see in an upcoming feature. When launched, users will be able to select a "see fewer" option on Gen AI Pins in certain categories -- like beauty and art -- that are prone to being overrun with AI content. Over time, it will expand this option to other categories, as well. When available, the option will be found in the three-dot menu on the bottom right of a Pin. Clicking this will send a signal to Pinterest's systems to recommend less AI content to the users, the company explains in a blog post. Pinterest didn't say when the new control setting was launching -- only that it was arriving "soon." For a site like Pinterest, which attracted users to browse and save aspirational images in areas like fashion, home decor, travel, art, recipes, DIY, beauty, parenting tips, and more, a deluge of AI content could actually kill the site. Some users have already declared the site dead due to the AI imagery that's taken over. On Reddit, for instance, users have been protesting the encroachment of AI slop on Pinterest for months, noting a huge uptick in this low-value content. They say that AI images found their way across the site, whether they were browsing content, searching, or viewing board suggestions. The media also documented the decline in articles pondering if AI has already ruined the platform or if it can be fixed. Pinterest says it plans to introduce more tools in the months ahead to build upon its AI work, adding that it still believes Gen AI can be inspirational, when thoughtfully implemented. "As people encounter AI-generated content on Pinterest, we are empowering our users to make more informed choices about the content they see," CTO Matt Madrigal said in a statement. "Gen AI content on Pinterest should enhance users' ability to discover and act on their inspiration, and we are intentionally approaching this new landscape in a thoughtful way that benefits everyone on Pinterest."

Sick of AI slop on Pinterest? These two new features should help bring back real pins

Pinterest has long been a great platform for getting inspiration from crowdsourced images for everything from outfits to home decor to wedding planning. However, AI-generated images have slowly trickled into Pinterest's results, leaving users dissatisfied. To address the issue, on Wednesday, Pinterest announced it will display a label on image Pins that it detects were either generated or modified using generative AI. The "AI Modified" label will appear in the bottom left corner of images when viewing them up close, and the feature is being rolled out globally. Also: AI is ruining Pinterest. Here's why it's such a big problem Pinterest says it will add the marker using the image's metadata as well as in-house-developed classifiers that automatically detect generative AI content, even if it is not immediately obvious. The company adds that the systems are not perfect at the moment, but the labels will become more accurate as the classifiers are refined. If the content is mislabeled, users and creators can appeal through an appeals system. A "see fewer" experiment will also soon launch on the platform. This experiment allows users to select a preference for how much generative AI content they want in certain categories, such as beauty and art. Users will be able to choose the option from the three-dot menu in the bottom right-hand corner of a Pin, as shown in the photo below. From my experience, AI tools are a great source of creative inspiration. For example, you can give an AI image generator a photo of a space and ask it to furnish it, or describe an outfit or project you are imagining and have it generate it for you. However, the key to successfully using it as inspiration is knowing whether or not it is AI-generated. Also: How to fix AI's fatal flaw - and give creators their due (before it's too late) Since people typically turn to Pinterest for inspiration based on human projects, designs, or ideas, transparency is essential on the platform, and the AI labels are a practical solution. If you still have doubts and an image is not correctly labeled, other tools, such as the Adobe Content Authenticity app, let users easily upload images to learn insights about their origin and authenticity. Get the morning's top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.

Pinterest is finally doing something about its AI infestation

To say I'm thrilled would be an understatement. Pinterest has attracted widespread criticism from users about AI images dominating its platform, making it difficult to use the moodboard-maker for anything practical beyond just assembling images purely for aesthetic purposes. Artists struggle to find accurate real-world reference materials, for example, and there's a good chance the clothing, accessory, or furniture products appearing in pins can't be purchased, because they don't actually exist. Even as a provider of "inspiration," that can be problematic, because everything from hairstyles to interior design concepts generated by AI -- which can be deceptively realistic -- may be impossible to achieve in real life.

Pinterest will now tell you when you're looking at AI-generated content

It is also experimenting with a filter system to cleanse your feed of AI slop. Pinterest is fighting back against the onslaught of AI slop that is increasingly clogging up its platform following complaints from users. From now on, you'll be able to see when image Pins that appear in your feed have been either generated or modified using AI. When users click on an image Pin in close-up they'll see an "AI modified" label in the bottom left-hand corner. In a published this week, Pinterest says it has been testing the new feature for several months, which involves analysing the metadata of an image to assess its source. It says it's also developing classifiers that can automatically detect the whiff of generative AI even when metadata markers are absent. How successful it is in doing so will become clear as the new features roll out globally, and creators who suspect their content has been mislabelled will be able to appeal. Such mislabelling has been an ongoing issue for Meta, which was the wording of the AI labels it applied to uploaded photos on Facebook and Instagram after photographers complained they were being added to images that hadn't been created using AI. Apparently, even minimal use of the generative fill tool in Photoshop was enough to trigger a label. That's something that Pinterest will likely want to look out for as it hones this new algorithm. In addition to the new labels, Pinterest says it's experimenting with a feature that would allow users to filter out categories where AI modification or generation is particularly prevalent, such as beauty and art. By letting its users have more control over what appears on their feed, Pinterest is clearly hoping it can win back the growing number of in its community.

Pinterest Is Finally Fighting Back Against AI Slop

How to Back Up Your Entire Digital Life Without Subscribing to Anything Pinterest has, for some time now, been facing complaints that AI slop is ruining the user experience. However, thankfully, Pinterest is now tackling the problem of AI slop by labeling images it suspects of being generated by or modified with AI. Pinterest Tackles Its Big Gen AI Problem As fun, exciting, and useful as generative AI can be, it can also be misused in plenty of ways. One of which is using generative AI to create endless AI images which can then be passed off as real. AI images can be seen everywhere now, but especially on social media platforms. And most AI images are not labeled as such, with people passing them off as either a real photo or original artwork created by a human. This is especially problematic for Pinterest, which is built solely around images. When many of those images are being generated by artificial intelligence, but the people uploading them decline to admit as much, that's an issue. Thankfully, Pinterest is taking action against the rise of AI slop, which some users have been complaining about for months. AI slop, for those unfamiliar with the term, is low-quality, mass-produced content generated by artificial intelligence. To fight back against the AI slop that has become a noticeable presence on the site, Pinterest is introducing what it calls Gen AI Labels. These are, as the name suggests, labels attached to images identified as being generated or modified by AI. In a post on the Pinterest Newsroom, Pinterest explains how it has been experimenting with these labels for the past several months. And they're now finally ready to be rolled out globally. When Pinterest's systems identify an AI image through metadata and classifiers, a label will be attached to it. This will inform viewers that it's "AI Modified" when they click on an image pin. Users will also be able to opt to see fewer AI pins in their chosen topics. Pinterest Has Been Impacted by AI Slop There's no doubt that Pinterest has been impacted by the rise of generative AI. The company has maintained that AI images are a small part of what users see, but as this Futurism article explains, some users feel that AI images have, alongside other issues, ruined Pinterest. Pinterest is far from alone in being affected by AI slop, however. Anyone still using Facebook will have likely seen an AI image accompanied by some heartwarming message designed to get a reaction. And there will be hundreds of comments underneath it from people who have fallen for the ploy. Images created by artificial intelligence are going to get more difficult to detect over time. But for now at least, most people should be able to see through the fakery by using common sense and logic. And if those fail you, labels such as the ones Pinterest is introducing will help.

Pinterest Adds "AI Modified" Labels to Images Globally

Pinterest has started globally rolling out new labels to help users identify images that may have been created or altered using generative AI (Gen AI) tools. The platform says the move is part of a broader effort to give users more transparency and control over the content they see. From now on, when users click to view an image Pin more closely, a label reading "AI modified" will appear in the bottom-left corner if Pinterest's systems detect AI involvement. The company uses both image metadata and machine learning classifiers to determine whether a piece of content is AI-generated or modified. While the company continues to improve these classifiers, it admits they may not always identify content accurately. Pinterest has set up an appeals system to let users and creators challenge tags they believe wrongly label their content. In addition to labelling, Pinterest is testing a feature that allows users to reduce the amount of Gen AI content they see. This "see fewer" option will be available through the three-dot menu on Pins in certain categories, such as beauty and art, which are more likely to feature AI-modified visuals. The feature is expected to expand into other content areas over time. "As people encounter AI-generated content on Pinterest, we are empowering our users to make more informed choices about the content they see," said Matt Madrigal, Pinterest's Chief Technology Officer. The decision to introduce Gen AI labels follows months of user complaints about the growing presence of AI-generated content on the platform. Some users have gone as far as calling Pinterest "dead," saying the site has been flooded with low-quality AI images that make it harder to find useful or original content. On platforms like Reddit, users have repeatedly voiced frustration over what they describe as "AI slop," appearing across search results, recommended boards, and general browsing. The situation has attracted media attention, with articles questioning whether AI has already damaged the platform's core value or whether it can be repaired. Pinterest's latest move appears to be a direct response to these concerns, aiming to rebuild trust and improve the browsing experience. The company says it wants to strike a balance between promoting creative inspiration and ensuring clarity about how content is made. Users can visit Pinterest's Help Centre for more information about how the platform uses AI. Pinterest is one of several tech platforms now exploring ways to clearly label AI-generated content amid growing public concerns about transparency, misinformation, and the influence of artificial intelligence on media. As generative AI tools become more sophisticated, platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook are facing increasing pressure to help users distinguish between real and AI-generated content. This is not just about Pinterest, it's part of a broader industry trend to ensure accountability and prevent misinformation. For example, platforms like Meta, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube have also taken steps to label AI-generated content, ensuring that users are aware when they are interacting with AI-modified material. In the wake of widespread AI misinformation, companies are under scrutiny for their role in content dissemination, particularly as the boundaries between human-created and machine-generated content blur.