AI-generated “slop” has become increasingly common across the internet, filling platforms with low-quality, repetitive and misleading content, The New York Times reports.
It appears in everything from fake biographies and questionable recipes to music, videos, social media posts and online reviews.
In response, technology companies are beginning to remove spam and low-quality content, label AI-generated material, and give users more control over how much AI content they see. Companies such as LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok and Substack have introduced different methods for identifying, removing or limiting this material.
The problem is complicated because many of the same companies trying to control AI slop also created or promoted the tools that make it possible. AI-generated content can increase engagement, but excessive amounts of low-quality material can eventually become a liability because users have difficulty finding the content they want.
Detection systems also create problems because they can mistakenly identify human-created work as AI-generated and potentially harm legitimate creators. Experts therefore argue that simply deleting AI content is not enough. The larger issue is the way online platforms reward high-volume, attention-grabbing content.
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