AI Slop: Why the Internet’s Feed Now Feels Like a Junk Drawer

If you’ve ever fallen deep into YouTube Shorts at 2 a.m. and wondered “Why am I watching a robot-generated hamster ballet with dubstep?” — welcome to the era of AI slop.

“Slop” isn’t just what your toddler left in the backyard after Thanksgiving. In 2025, Merriam-Webster officially crowned “slop” its Word of the Year — in the digital sense — meaning low-quality content churned out in bulk by artificial intelligence. And if you’re online, you’ve met it.

What Even Is AI Slop?

In plain terms, AI slop refers to carelessly generated videos created by machines with the sole goal of grabbing attention and racking up views. It’s the spam of the social media age — except instead of junk mail clogging your inbox, it’s weird, often meaningless videos clogging your feed.

A related cousin to slop is “brainrot” — content that’s not just low-quality but compulsively watchable and mentally numbing. Think bizarre animation loops, recycled memes, or AI-generated clips that are just weird enough to keep you scrolling.

How Big Is This Slop Problem?

Pretty big.

Kapwing’s research — based on analysing the top 100 trending YouTube channels in every country — found that a huge chunk of YouTube’s recommended Shorts feed is already AI slop or brainrot. In fact:

On a fresh YouTube account, 21% of the first 500 Shorts were AI-generated slop videos, and a full 33% were brainrot content.
Across countries, some AI slop channels have amassed billions of views, with channels in South Korea topping over 8.4 billion views and others around the world not far behind.

These aren’t tiny side projects either — some AI-generated channels are making millions of dollars a year from ads alone. That’s right: robots might be earning more than your blog.

Why Is Slop Everywhere?

A few big reasons:

1. AI Tools Are Ridiculously Easy to Use

With tools like ChatGPT, image generators, and automated video makers at everyone’s fingertips, generating content is as easy as ordering pizza — and just as indiscriminate. Combine that ease with platforms that reward eyeballs over substance, and you have a perfect storm for slop.

2. Algorithms Love Engagement

YouTube, TikTok and Instagram don’t necessarily care what you watch — only that you keep watching. So if AI slop keeps viewers glued (or zombified), algorithms will keep promoting it.

3. It Pays (Literally)

Many creators are monetising these AI channels. Whether it’s ad revenue or affiliate links in descriptions, slop isn’t just annoying — it’s a business model.

Is AI Slop Dangerous?

Dangerous might be a strong word, but it’s certainly problematic.

There’s evidence suggesting that the sheer volume of slop and brainrot content has diluted the value of authentic content, made real creators harder to discover, and encouraged superficial consumption over meaningful engagement.

Even more concerning: research suggests that when we see something enough times — even if it’s nonsense — our brains are more likely to treat it as “true”. This is called the illusory truth effect, and slop feeds right into it.

So What Do We Do About It?

As consumers, the first step is awareness. Recognising when content is AI-generated garbage — and choosing quality over quantity — matters. Platforms could tighten policies on low-effort AI content, and creators might focus more on originality and craft.

At the end of the day, AI isn’t the enemy — mindless, algorithm-optimised slop is. Let’s hope that as AI evolves, so does our ability to tell meaningful content from the digital equivalent of soggy leftovers.

AI Slop: Why the Internet’s Feed Now Feels Like a Junk Drawer