Twitch Streamers Sue Amazon Over Unauthorized AI Training

Twitch and its parent company Amazon are facing a class-action lawsuit over using streamers' content to train AI models without permission. Plaintiff Warren Pandiscia, a Twitch creator with about 1,000 followers, filed a 37-page complaint in a California court, accusing the companies of copying streamers' videos without proper authorization, violating implied agreements and state unfair competition laws.

Twitch admitted on August 12 that it used creators' content—including streams, clips, chat logs, and photos—to train Amazon's AI. The opt-out option is not retroactive and is tied to channels, not accounts, so streamers who opted out may still have their content used if they appear in others' streams. Chief Product Officer Mike Minton said the feature is on by default to ensure participation, but respects users' wishes to opt out.

The plaintiff claims the companies secretly used streamers' content since 2024, long before any disclosure or opt-out mechanism. Amazon Game Studios also worked on a generative AI game before the project was canceled after layoffs. Amazon acquired Twitch for about $970 million in 2014.