Medium bans AI-generated content from its paid Partner Program

Medium is banning AI-generated content from its paid Partner program, notifying users that the new policy goes into effect on May 1, 2024.

Stories entirely generated using AI will be taken off paywalls and might even result in users getting kicked out of the monetization program.

"We are writing to notify you of policy updates that may impact your participation in the Medium Partner Program," the blogging platform noted in an email seen by BleepingComputer.

Medium stresses that it is for human storytelling and doesn't want fully AI-generated stories on its platform. Medium clarified that it understands AI can help make some writing clearer or assist those writing in a second language, but writing content purely through AI is no longer allowed.

"Medium-is-for-human-stocytelling, not A1-generated writing," the company noted in the email.

"We recently defined and clarified our specific policies around the different uses of Al-generated content and technologies, and what is allowed in the Medium Partner Program. You can read those policies in our Help Center."

Medium already had language in its guidelines stating that fully AI-generated stories are restricted from distribution beyond the writer's personal network on Medium.

According to the guidelines, Medium allows the responsible use of AI-assistive technology but with strict requirements for transparency. Any story using AI help must clearly mention this within the first two paragraphs.

This rule extends to AI-generated images, which must be properly labeled and sourced.

While Medium users can still post AI-generated stories on their personal blogs, but are not shared widely across Medium's network.

With the banning of AI-generated content from the Paid Partner program, Medium has further cracked down on distributing this type of content.

If you come across AI-generated stories you don't like, you can use the "Show less like this" button. This helps Medium understand what you prefer and limits the reach of fully AI-generated content.