The proliferation of AI-generated content, often surreal and low-quality, has become a defining characteristic of the internet in 2024 and 2025, so much so that Merriam-Webster named “slop” its word of the year.
The Rise of “AI Slop”
The phenomenon, dubbed “AI slop,” refers to the flood of content designed to generate views through often bizarre and nonsensical imagery and videos. Its emergence coincided with the increased accessibility of large language models like ChatGPT and Dall-E, which democratized content creation.
Notable examples from 2024 included the viral “shrimp Jesus” trend, featuring AI-generated images of a deity fused with crustaceans, as well as videos of elderly women claiming to celebrate improbable birthdays and miniature soap operas starring cats.
Continued Trends and Copyright Concerns
In 2025, the trend continued, becoming more uncanny and frequently infringing on copyright. A recent trend, termed “Ghiblification,” saw images – including depictions of deportations – rendered in the style of Studio Ghibli, the renowned Japanese animation studio. OpenAI’s release of an image generator powered by GPT-4o fueled this trend, with even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman participating by altering his X profile picture.
>be me
>grind for a decade trying to help make superintelligence to cure cancer or whatever
>mostly no one cares for first 7.5 years, then for 2.5 years everyone hates you for everything
>wake up one day to hundreds of messages: “look i made you into a twink ghibli style haha”— Sam Altman (@sama) March 26, 2025
Hayao Miyazaki, the founder of Studio Ghibli, has expressed disapproval of artificial intelligence, calling it “an insult to life itself.”
A Global Economy of Content Creation
Other examples of AI slop include videos of AI-generated obese Olympic athletes, exploding pressure cookers, and a cult surrounding Ibrahim Traoré, the leader of Burkina Faso, featuring Justin Bieber singing in Ouagadougou.
While the quality of AI-generated images has improved, eliminating some early issues like distorted limbs, the core characteristics of AI slop – its surrealism, lack of context, and focus on virality – remain consistent. Experts suggest this is driven by algorithms optimized for engagement and a global economy offering limited returns for traditional work but potential fortunes for viral content creators.
AI slop creators operate globally, from the US to India to Ukraine. Oleksandr, a creator based in Ukraine, estimates that only the top 5% of creators monetize their videos, with only 1% earning a living.
Oleksandr began creating AI content in 2024 after facing financial hardship. He initially focused on music channels with AI-generated music and imagery, then expanded to 930 channels, monetizing 270 and earning up to $20,000 per month before YouTube began frequently removing his content. He also found success with long-form AI-generated stories and videos on “vulgar adult themes.”
Currently, his earnings are closer to $3,000 per month due to increased content removal by YouTube. Despite the ethical concerns, Oleksandr credits the platform with improving his financial situation.
A YouTube spokesperson stated that the platform focuses on connecting users with high-quality content and removes content that violates its community guidelines.
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