ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

AI Slop: The Aesthetic Homogenization of Digital Culture

opinion-review · 2026-07-31

The phrase 'AI slop' (known as 'sbobba AI' in Italian) describes the low-quality, repetitive visuals and clips produced by AI across platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. This trend surfaced in US forums during 2024 and attracted significant attention in 2025, igniting discussions regarding its influence on public preferences. Journalist Ryan Broderick associates AI slop with the attention economy, where creators focus on fleeting viewer engagement. A report from Kapwing indicates that 59% of videos in a new TikTok feed and 57% targeting children fall under the category of AI slop. Researchers like Alexandre Declos examine AI's 'aesthetic bias,' while artists such as Michael Schmelling embrace rough styles to challenge this uniformity. This article appeared in Il Post on July 31, 2026.

Key facts

  • AI slop is a term for low-quality AI-generated images and videos that are widespread on social media.
  • The term 'AI slop' began circulating in US forums in 2024 and became mainstream from 2025.
  • Ryan Broderick is a journalist and expert on digital subcultures who has analyzed AI slop.
  • Kapwing report: 59% of videos in a new TikTok feed and 57% of TikTok videos for children are AI slop.
  • Social media companies are introducing rules to label AI-generated content due to advertiser concerns.
  • Alexandre Declos, researcher at University of Neuchâtel, published an article in The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism in April 2026 on AI's aesthetic bias.
  • AI models tend to produce kitsch and stereotypical images, leading to homogenization of tastes.
  • Emily Segal, creative director, stated that standardized taste is bad taste because taste is relational.
  • Michael Schmelling designed covers for Roberto Bolaño's books published by Picador, using a deliberately rough style.
  • The article was published on Il Post on July 31, 2026.

Entities

Artists

  • Ryan Broderick
  • Alexandre Declos
  • Emily Segal
  • Michael Schmelling
  • Roberto Bolaño
  • Brian Merchant

Institutions

  • Il Post
  • The New York Times
  • The Guardian
  • Kapwing
  • The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
  • University of Neuchâtel
  • Picador
  • Coachella
  • Studio Ghibli

Locations

  • United States
  • Switzerland
  • Neuchâtel
  • Chile

Sources