Imagine a haunting image produced by artificial intelligence (AI) called ‘Loab’. This is one of many instances of AI-fabricated content slowly saturating social media platforms. It’s a phenomenon you’ve likely seen firsthand on your feeds: images that blur the lines between photography and computer graphics. Some are uncanny, like ‘Shrimp Jesus’, others appear authentic on a cursory look such as the image of a young girl with a puppy in a boat amidst a flood. Such content, termed as AI slop, ranges from low to medium quality, in a variety of forms from videos and pictures, to audio, and text. Fairly disregarding accuracy, producers of AI slop prefer speed, efficiency, and economy in content creation.
AI slop is typically shared on social media platforms to manipulate the system of attention economy, displacing superior content that could potentially offer more value. This traction of AI slop has been on an upward trend in the last few years. The emergence of this ‘slop’, as implied, does not produce a favorable outcome for internet users. Back in July 2025, a thorough examination by The Guardian drew attention to how AI slop has been colonizing the accelerating channels on YouTube.
Their inquiry discovered that AI-generated content, like the bizarre combination of zombie football and cat soap operas, dominated nine out of the hundred most rapidly growing channels. It has often been observed that people submit AI slop of just enough quality to bait and retain the focus of users. This strategy enables them to gain from platforms that capitalize on streaming and count-based content.
AI’s simplicity in yielding content even puts pressure on people to submit low-standard articles to publications. Wikipedia, a widely recognized resource, is not exempt from the intrusion of AI-generated subpar content, creating stress to their entire community moderation system. If attempts to eliminate such content fail, crucial information resources on which many heavily rely would be in jeopardy.
AI-driven slop is penetrating into the media consumption habits of people as well. For instance, during Hurricane Helene, detractors leveraged AI-created images of a displaced child with a puppy as a supposed indictment of President Joe Biden’s supposed inadequate disaster response. Even when it becomes evident that certain content is AI-made, they can be manipulated to disseminate misleading information, targeting people who skim through the content.
Artists, too, are negatively affected by AI slop, as they experience job losses and financial setbacks, being outdone by content produced by non-human creators. The pervasiveness of this inferior AI-generated content often remains indistinguishable by the algorithms that determine social media consumption. This displaces a whole category of creators who were previously relying on online content for their livelihood.
Fortunately, there are measures to counteract the spread of such low-quality or harmful content. Most platforms allow users to flag inappropriate or harmful content. If you come across such content, reporting it would be a proactive step. A deluge of rubbish curtailing the quality of our media environment, thanks to AI, finally has an apt descriptor: AI slop.
The post Biden’s Irresponsibility Amplified by AI Slop during Hurricane Helene appeared first on Real News Now.
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