AI 'Slop' Floods Social Media and Sparks Backlash
Théodore recalls the AI-generated image that pushed him to action.
The picture depicted two emaciated South Asian children with boyish features but thick beards. One child was missing hands and had only one foot, while the other held a sign stating it was his birthday and requesting likes. They sat in the middle of a busy road in heavy rain with a birthday cake. The image bore clear signs of AI generation but went viral on Facebook, garnering nearly one million likes and heart emojis.
"It boggled my mind. The absurd AI made images were all over Facebook and getting [a] huge amount of traction without any scrutiny at all - it was insane to me," said the 20-year-old Parisian student.
Motivated by this, Théodore created an X (formerly Twitter) account named "Insane AI Slop" to highlight and critique such misleading content. His efforts attracted attention, and he soon received numerous submissions of popular AI-generated content.
Recurring themes emerged, including religion, military, and impoverished children performing heartwarming acts.
"Kids in the third world doing impressive stuff is always popular - like a poor kid in Africa making an insane statue out of trash. I think people find it wholesome so the creators think, 'Great, let's make more of this stuff up,'" Théodore explained.
His account grew to over 133,000 followers.
The proliferation of AI slop—defined by Théodore as fake, unconvincing videos and images produced rapidly—is now unstoppable. Technology companies have embraced AI, with some beginning to address certain types of AI slop, though social media feeds remain saturated with such content.
Over a few years, social media experiences have transformed significantly. Questions arise about how this occurred, its societal impact, and the extent to which billions of users care.
Social Media Giants Embrace AI Content
In October, during an earnings call, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that social media had entered a third phase centered on AI.
"First was when all content was from friends, family, and accounts that you followed directly. The second was when we added all of the creator content. Now as AI makes it easier to create and remix content, we're going to add yet another huge corpus of content," he told shareholders.
Meta, which operates Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, not only permits AI-generated content but has launched tools to facilitate its creation, including image and video generators and increasingly sophisticated filters.
When contacted, Meta referred to the January earnings call, where Zuckerberg emphasized further AI integration without mentioning restrictions on AI slop.
"Soon we'll see an explosion of new media formats that are more immersive and interactive, and only possible because of advances in AI," Zuckerberg stated.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan noted in a 2026 outlook blog that over one million YouTube channels used AI tools for content creation in December alone.
"Just as the synthesizer, Photoshop and CGI revolutionized sound and visuals, AI will be a boon to the creatives who are ready to lean in," he wrote.
Mohan acknowledged concerns about "low-quality content, aka AI slop," and indicated efforts to improve detection and removal of such content. However, he declined to make judgments on content permissibility, citing the mainstream acceptance of once-niche formats like ASMR and live gaming streams.
AI Slop Prevalence and Creator Economy
Research by AI company Kapwing found that 20% of content shown to a new YouTube account comprises "low-quality AI video." Short-form video was particularly affected, with 104 of the first 500 YouTube Shorts for a new account featuring AI content.
The creator economy drives this trend, as channels monetize engagement and views. According to Kapwing, the AI slop channel with the highest views is India's Bandar Apna Dost, with 2.07 billion views and estimated annual earnings of $4 million (£2.9 million).
Emerging Backlash Against AI Slop
Despite popularity, a backlash is growing. Viral AI videos often attract critical comments.
Théodore played a role in this resistance by reporting disturbing AI-generated videos to YouTube moderators, particularly those appearing aimed at children, such as "Mum cat saves kitten from deadly belly parasites," featuring graphic scenes, and a clip of a woman transforming into a monster healed by Jesus.
YouTube removed the channels for violating community guidelines, stating a focus on connecting users with high-quality content regardless of creation method, and efforts to reduce low-quality AI content.
However, these experiences have worn on Théodore.
Even lifestyle platforms like Pinterest have been...
