You might have encountered the term “AI slop” when seeing strange AI-generated images on social media. Perhaps you’ve even come across these images yourself.
So, what exactly is AI slop? How can you identify it, and what can you do about it?
What Is AI Slop?
The term “slop” has emerged to describe unwanted AI-generated content online, akin to how “spam” is used for unwanted emails. This term is related to the “slop” that farmers feed pigs. It was first seen on X and further explained by open-source developer Simon Willison, who defines it as “mindlessly generated and thrust upon someone who didn’t ask for it.”
Why Does AI Slop Exist?
AI slop refers to the phenomenon where AI-generated images are produced quickly and inexpensively to attract attention through likes and comments. Similar to internet trolling, the quality of the content is less important than its ability to capture people’s interest and engagement.
AI slop contributes to the dead internet theory, which suggests that AI-powered bots and tools dominate much of online activity, overshadowing genuine human interactions. These bots generate a constant stream of content, including AI-generated images designed to attract significant engagement in the form of likes and comments. The sheer volume of interactions on AI slop content often exceeds what seems feasible for human interaction alone, indicating a substantial presence of automated bot interactions.
Despite concerns, social media platforms may benefit from this bot activity to maintain the appearance of active user engagement, crucial for attracting advertising revenue. As human users diminish their presence on these platforms, the reliance on bots to sustain engagement metrics becomes more apparent. This blend of AI slop and bot-driven interactions underscores a complex dynamic where platforms balance the need for genuine user engagement with the practicalities of maintaining appearances for financial viability.
How Do You Recognize AI Slop?
AI slop is often easily recognizable due to telltale signs like extra or missing fingers in generated images, and difficulties in accurately rendering human skin nuances. Even tools designed to detect AI-generated images often highlight these flaws, making AI slop apparent to anyone using their own eyes.
The surreal appearance of AI slop, depicting scenarios unlikely to occur in real life, has drawn comparisons to the surrealist art movement by outlets like The Washington Post. One can only wonder how Salvador Dali, known for his surrealistic masterpieces, would perceive generative AI creations.
Accompanying these often bizarre images are captions that are equally nonsensical and sometimes humorous, such as “Beautiful cabin crew,” “Scarlett Johansson,” and “Why don’t pictures like this ever trend?” These phrases have become memes in their own right, frequently accompanying AI slop images across social media platforms.
What Can You Do About AI Slop?
Addressing the persistent influx of AI slop presents challenges, with social media platforms primarily responsible for curtailing its spread. Nonetheless, individuals can take modest steps to combat its impact.
Many users on platforms like X find humor in the absurdity of AI-generated art saturating the internet, perhaps as a means of expressing frustration towards content they perceive as imposed by tech giants.
The prevalence of AI slop on social media serves to highlight its existence, especially to audiences less familiar with AI-generated imagery. Educating users on platforms like Facebook about the artificial nature of such content can be beneficial.
AI slop serves as a poignant reminder to remain skeptical of online content. While some instances are obvious, like “Shrimp Jesus,” others may be more subtly misleading, underscoring the importance of critical thinking when consuming digital media.
As generative AI tools continue to evolve, responsible usage becomes paramount. Minimizing contributions to the AI slop phenomenon entails using AI technology ethically and promoting transparency in digital content.