More than 20% of the videos that YouTube’s algorithm shows to new users are “AI slop” — low-quality AI-generated content designed to farm views, research has found. Together, these AI slop channels have amassed more than 63bn views and 221m subscribers, generating about $117m (€99m) in revenue each year, according to estimates. The researchers also made a new YouTube account and found that 104 of the first 500 videos recommended to its feed were AI slop. One-third of the 500 videos were “brainrot”, a category that includes AI slop and other low-quality content made to monetise attention. For another, the AI slop ecosystem is full of scammers: people selling tips and courses on how to make viral content — who often make more money than the AI slop producers themselves.

Source: Irish Examiner December 28, 2025 15:20 UTC