Explore the phenomenon of 'AI slop' – the deluge of low-quality, surreal AI-generated content flooding social media, driven by algorithms and the pursuit of viral profits.
The internet of 2025 is defined by 'AI slop,' a term for low-quality, bizarre, and often copyright-violating AI-generated content designed purely for views. Originating with the advent of popular large language models, this content democratized creation, leading to viral trends like 'Shrimp Jesus,' 'Ghiblification' of images (even controversial ones like deportations, much to Hayao Miyazaki's dismay), and surreal videos featuring everything from 122-year-old women to 'erotic tractors.' While AI's technical output has improved, the content remains uncanny, contextless, and geared towards virality by exploiting low barriers to entry. The article argues this phenomenon is not just technological but an economic outcome of an algorithm-driven internet and a global economy where 'real' work offers dwindling returns, making AI slop creation a viable, albeit unartistic, profession. A Ukrainian creator, Oleksandr, exemplifies this, building a multi-channel business generating significant income from AI-powered stories and 'vulgar adult themes,' prioritizing volume and clickbait over quality to navigate platform rules and monetize engagement.
