What Is AI Slop? How to Recognize It, Avoid It, and Use AI Responsibly

Key takeaways

• AI slop is low-quality digital content produced in large quantities by artificial intelligence.

• Some ways you can tell if something is AI slop include content that feels repetitive, absurd, generic, unnatural, or overly polished, or that lacks meaning or a distinctive human element.

• The three core types of AI slop are AI-generated text, AI-generated images and art, and AI-generated videos.

The rapid growth of AI content-generation tools, now readily accessible to the public, has made AI slop more prevalent across the internet. Discover how to identify AI slop and use AI tools responsibly.

Then, consider enrolling in the University of Michigan’s AI for Creative Work Specialization to learn more about how to combine human and machine-derived writing. You’ll have the opportunity to learn how to employ AI tools sustainably and successfully. By the end, you can have a better understanding of the relationship between creative work and AI technology.

What is AI slop?

AI slop is a modern slang term for low-quality, high-volume digital content produced by artificial intelligence. Merriam-Webster selected “slop” as its 2025 Word of the Year, defining it as low-quality digital content produced at scale by artificial intelligence. Historically, “slop” referred to “soft mud” in the 1700s and later came to mean food waste or rubbish in the 1800s. By reviving the word in this modern context, Merriam-Webster underscores a growing cultural skepticism toward careless use of AI, mocking the mass-produced, low-quality content [1].

Generative AI, a type of AI system that lets users quickly generate text, images, and media through a simple prompt, is the primary tool driving the production of AI slop. New research from Kapwing shows that 21 to 33 percent of YouTube’s feed may consist of AI slop videos [2].

The onslaught of this content on social media has made it harder to distinguish thoughtfully created material from low-effort, mass-produced posts. As a result, users are increasingly exposed to AI slop: content that may look authentic at first glance but often lacks accuracy, originality, or meaningful substance.

Why is AI slop so common?

AI slop has become more prevalent as content-generation tools, such as large language models (LLMs) and generative artificial intelligence (GAI) tools, have grown faster and become more accessible to the public. With these tools, individuals and companies can easily produce high volumes of low-quality material with minimal effort. As of August 2025, nearly one in ten of the fastest-growing YouTube channels globally exclusively show and promote AI slop [3]. Social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook are also promoting features for their users, such as AI-generated backgrounds, filters, and effects, increasing the spread of low-quality AI content across the internet.

What are the 3 core types of AI slop?

The three main types of AI slop include AI-generated text, AI-generated images and art, and AI-generated videos. To identify them effectively, it helps to understand how each type is created, the risks it poses, and the common signs you’ll notice when you encounter it.

AI-generated text

AI-generated text is typically produced using large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT or Claude that can generate articles, captions, comments, or even entire websites in seconds from a short prompt. You can input a topic or keyword, and have the LLM generate text in a specified format. Copywriters can use AI to generate long-form content, such as blog posts and articles, or draft short-form content, such as Instagram posts and product descriptions.

Common characteristics:

• Repetitive phrasing or awkward, out-of-place language

• Vague statements that lack depth or specific evidence

• Overly formal wording

• Lack of typos or errors

• Monotone and emotionless

• Inaccurate or irrelevant content

Potential risks:

• Spread of misinformation that goes unchecked

• Clogs up search engines with low-value content

• Makes it harder to find well-sourced, trustworthy information

Example:

A professional interested in learning how to negotiate in the workplace asked an LLM to explain the behavioral science behind winning negotiations. The opening paragraphs of its response read:

Negotiation shapes every career win, from landing that promotion to sealing client deals or even splitting dinner tabs fairly. People who master it don't just get better outcomes; they build stronger alliances that pay off long-term. Behavioral science reveals why: our brains crave collaboration when trust flows, turning talks into triumphs.

At its core, negotiation taps psychology like reciprocity and rapport. Mirror neurons fire when you subtly match someone's pace or posture, sparking subconscious connection. Research shows this builds empathy fast, making counterparts see you as a partner, not foe. Active listening unlocks it: paraphrase their point, like "So you're prioritizing speed on this project," then tie it to shared wins. Studies confirm listeners close 30% more deals by uncovering hidden needs this way.

Examples of AI slop in this response include:

• Awkward, out-of-place language: "our brains crave collaboration when trust flows," "negotiation taps psychology like reciprocity and rapport"

• Vague statements that lack depth or specific evidence: "Behavioral science reveals why: our brains crave collaboration when trust flows, turning talks into triumphs." "Research shows this builds empathy fast, making counterparts see you as a partner, not foe."

• Inaccurate content: "Studies confirm listeners close 30% more deals by uncovering hidden needs this way."

AI-generated images and art

AI-generated images and art are becoming increasingly common across social media, as these tools have since grown more accessible to online communities. Generative adversarial networks (GANs) can quickly produce visuals, making it easy for individuals or companies to fast-track large volumes of content with minimal effort. If you’ve been on social media, you’ve likely encountered AI slop images that include absurd content, such as children with beards sitting in the road with a cake, or fish wearing shoes.

Common characteristics:

• Distorted hands, faces, or anatomy

• Blurry or nonsensical elements and text on images

• Overly smooth or “plastic” textures

• Inconsistent lighting or perspective

Potential risks:

• Can mislead viewers with fake or altered visuals

• Might use an artist’s original work without their consent and steal intellectual property

• Contributes to the spread of deceptive, offensive, or nonsensical imagery

Example:

The fur, feet, eyes, ears, shape, and other features of this mouse are realistic enough to appear as though it is really singing into a microphone and holding a guitar, but the entire image is AI-generated.

AI-generated videos

Similar to text and images, AI-generated videos are generally easy to create. They can range from short clips with AI-powered effects or enhancements to fully synthetic videos generated from scratch. AI slop videos are appearing on several social media platforms, including YouTube, where you can watch kittens sit in pools of rainbow goo or ride on a blimp made of pancakes.

Common characteristics:

• Absurd or nonsensical content

• Feels too polished or overly perfect

• Movements of the figures are unnatural

• Synthetic, computerized voiceovers

Potential risks:

• Clutter online feeds with meaningless content

• Misinformation and deep fakes of real people

• Promotion of offensive imagery and information manipulation

Example:

This AI-generated video made by Look in History depicts younger versions of actors interacting with their older selves. Note the polished images, occasional unnatural movements, and content that would be impossible to occur in real life. This AI-generated doorbell cam video features absurd content, disproportionate images, unnatural movements, a disembodied limb, and synthetic voiceovers.

Read more: How to Describe a Design to AI Art Generators

How to recognize AI slop and use these tools responsibly

How can you tell if something is AI slop?

To determine whether content is AI slop, start by closely examining its visual or textual characteristics to examine how it represents a specific subject. AI-generated text is often repetitive, overly generic, shallow, and may even include inaccuracies or irrelevant information. Visual content may include anatomically inaccurate figures, bizarre or absurdist elements, and unnatural movements. It is important to trust your instincts; if it feels off or unnatural, it’s often a strong indicator that the content was generated with little care.

How should you use AI tools responsibly?

Responsible AI use treats tools as assistants that support rather than replace human thinking. Consider AI-generated outputs as starting points rather than finished products, and refine or revise them as needed. It is also important that you establish clear use cases for AI. While it can optimize high-volume, structured tasks, you should not rely on it to generate creative content in place of human expression.

What does AI slop mean for consumers and creators?

As AI slop becomes increasingly embedded in everyday online interactions for both consumers and creators, it is essential to approach these tools with responsibility, critical thinking, and ethical consideration.

Consumers

For consumers, the rise of AI slop means navigating online content requires more critical thinking and mental effort than ever before. The deluge of AI slop can easily clog your feed, limiting your search results to inaccurate, repetitive, and nonsensical material. With large volumes of low-quality material and misinformation circulating, you often have to question sources and verify information. Developing this awareness can help you avoid misinformation and focus on accurate, meaningful content.

Creators

For creators, the rise of AI slop can devalue human-made visual art and appropriate existing creative styles, increasing pressure on creators to produce engaging content. At the same time, generating and distributing AI-generated content has become easier and more accessible for creators. When using AI, generate content carefully, and edit and fact-check outputs to avoid contributing to low-quality or misleading slop. AI can be a collaborative tool for content generation, but you should not use it to replace your own creativity.

Whether you are a consumer or creator of AI-generated content, it is essential that you understand how to recognize and avoid AI slop, which can contribute to its increased circulation across the internet. Disclosing AI use in the content you make and share is a great way to clarify expectations and raise awareness for those engaging with your content who expect human authorship.

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