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Kicker: SOCIETY

AI Slop: 

The Rise of Low-Quality AI-Generated Content

By Ji-Won Choi, reporter

Image of a Representative Example of AI Slop: Italian Brainrot

Have you heard of the meme ‘Tralalero Tralala’? It is part of a meme trend known as ‘Italian Brainrot.’ The term ‘brainrot’ refers to content that is so absurd or repetitive that it is said to ‘rot the brain.’ Italian Brainrot typically features bizarre, context-free videos created by using AI to combine unrelated elements in strange and humorous ways. Recently, there has been a growing amount of low-quality content produced using generative AI programs. Such content is often referred to as ‘AI slop’ and has emerged as a new social issue.

What Is AI Slop?

The term “AI slop” comes from the word “slop,” which refers to leftover food or feed given to pigs and other livestock. The concept became widely known after Simon Willison, a British software engineer and open-source developer, introduced the term on his blog in 2024. He explained that, just as “spam” became a term for unwanted emails, “slop” could become a term used to describe unwanted AI-generated content.

One of the defining characteristics of AI slop is that it can be produced almost instantly with just a few lines of prompts, without requiring people to directly create, film, or verify the content. As a result, AI slop has recently appeared in various forms, including videos, images, articles, music, academic papers, and applications. The term has also gained wider recognition. In 2025, the British current affairs magazine The Economist selected “slop” as its Word of the Year, reflecting the growing impact of low-quality AI-generated content.

The Current State of AI Slop in South Korea

According to a study by Kapwing, an AI-powered video editing platform, South Korean AI slop channels recorded approximately 8.45 billion views as of October 2025, ranking first worldwide. This figure was significantly higher than those of Pakistan, which ranked second with 5.3 billion views, and the United States, which ranked third with 3.4 billion views. South Korea also ranked highly in the production of AI slop content. Four of the 10 most-viewed AI-generated video channels worldwide were estimated to be based in South Korea.

Image of YouTube AI Slop Channel Views Worldwide

One notable example is the Korean channel “3-Minute Wisdom,” which posts context-free AI-generated videos, such as armored figures performing breakdancing in front of a group of lions. The channel ranked second worldwide with approximately 2.02 billion cumulative views, and its annual revenue was estimated at around 5.8 billion won. These figures demonstrate how rapidly AI slop content is being consumed and monetized in South Korea.

Why Is AI Slop Spreading?

One of the main reasons for the rapid spread of AI slop is the structure of platform algorithms. In the 21st century, online platforms tend to recommend content based on users’ watch time, views, and engagement rather than the originality or quality of the content. As a result, sensational and repetitive low-quality content can be exposed to a larger number of users. In particular, generative AI allows content to be mass-produced quickly and at a low cost, further accelerating this trend. In response to criticism over the growing problem of AI slop, YouTube stated that “AI is simply a tool” and that it remains focused on providing high-quality content regardless of how it is produced.

The Problems Caused by AI Slop

What problems can arise if people are exposed to AI slop without sufficient awareness? As viewers are repeatedly exposed to AI slop, they may begin to trust the content regardless of whether it is factually accurate. In particular, short and sensational videos are consumed quickly, making viewers more likely to accept the information without checking its source or verifying its accuracy. As a result, misinformation and false claims can spread rapidly, making it increasingly difficult for users to distinguish between reliable information and false or exaggerated AI-generated content. In addition, the continuous production of sensational content designed to attract views and attention can lead to an overwhelming amount of low-quality information online. Ultimately, the spread of AI slop is more than an increase in entertaining content; it can undermine trust in online information and interfere with the accurate dissemination of information, making it a growing social issue.

How Can We Address the Spread of AI Slop? To prevent the spread of AI slop, it is important to improve users’ media literacy rather than simply restricting the production of such content. As generative AI technology advances, anyone can create convincing videos and images within a short period of time. Therefore, users need to develop the habit of not automatically accepting everything they encounter online as factual. In particular, they should learn to check the source and production methods of content and critically evaluate whether the information is accurate. Platforms should also clearly label AI-generated content and take measures to prevent the indiscriminate spread of false, exaggerated, or repetitive low-quality content. Ultimately, in the age of AI, media literacy is becoming increasingly important as users need to go beyond simply consuming content and develop the ability to critically evaluate and judge the information they encounter.

Source:          

https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20260130066000017

https://newneek.co/@newneek/article/43688

https://www.ajunews.com/view/20251228164712379

https://whatisai.co.uk/what-is-ai-slop-understanding-the-risks/

https://strommeninc.com/parents-shocked-by-italian-brainrot-translations-heres-what-those-viral-chants-really-mean/ (figure 1)

https://www.mt.co.kr/society/2026/01/17/2026011612592748553 (figure 2)