Massive E-Learning Platform Udemy Gave Teachers a Gen AI 'Opt-Out Window'. It's Already Over.

Any online content is potential nourishment for the artificial intelligence systems currently being ‘trained’: videos, images, texts and sound samples constitute the appetiser, the main dish and the dessert for these models, eternally in search of man-made works in order to be able to offer the most accurate results possible.

Udemy, one of the world's most popular e-learning platforms, recently shared a rather worrying announcement for professors and teachers used to sharing their lessons on the site in question. Any content uploaded to it was automatically set as material available for AI training; in addition, Udemy gave users a three-week window of time to change the settings and opt-out - thus, prohibiting the use of their work as training material.

The decision to opt-out also removes users' access to all AI functions and benefits - according to Udemy, this change can seriously affect course visibility and potential earnings.