X (formerly known as Twitter) is set to introduce changes to its terms of service on November 15 that could prevent users from opting out of having their posts and interactions used for AI training. Currently, users can manually disable this feature in their account settings, but the upcoming update signals that this choice will soon be removed, raising concerns about user privacy and data use.

The changes, outlined in a section called "Your Rights and Grant of Rights in the Content," state that by using X, users are granting the platform the right to analyze and use their content, including posts, interactions, and potentially even private data, for the development and training of machine learning and artificial intelligence models. This includes Grok AI, the platform's AI model that was introduced earlier this year.

The update is particularly concerning as it’s not clear if the new policy will affect private data, such as direct messages or non-public information. The possibility that sensitive user content could be used for AI training has sparked further questions about transparency and the extent of data being collected.

Back in July, X quietly enabled Grok AI to automatically opt users in for AI training without direct notice, but the platform later introduced an option to disable it. However, once the new terms go into effect, that opt-out feature will likely disappear, leaving users with no control over whether their data is used to train AI models.

For now, users can still prevent their data from being used by going to Settings, selecting Privacy and Safety, and navigating to the Grok section under Data Sharing and Personalization. However, they will need to opt out separately for each account they manage.

X isn't the only platform facing scrutiny over AI data training. Tech giants like Apple, Meta, and OpenAI have also come under fire for similar practices, where user data is used without clear permission or in ways that aren't fully transparent. As AI systems require more data to evolve, platforms are increasingly relying on user content, which some experts suggest could lead to a shortage of data sources in the near future.

The question of how AI is trained on user data continues to be a hot topic, and with Europe enforcing stricter regulations, platforms like Meta and Apple have already had to limit some of their AI features. With X’s upcoming policy changes, it’s clear that the issue of data privacy in AI training is far from settled.

This article is curated by Apurv Modi, Editor - Technology.