A new study by video editing company Kapwing found that more than one in five videos recommended to new YouTube users are “AI smut.”
AI slop, also known simply as slop, refers to digital content created by generative artificial intelligence, specifically featuring low-effort, cheap quality content. There is a considerable volume of production of these AI videos, designed to generate views and advertising revenue.
In the study, Kapwign evaluated 15,000 of the most popular YouTube channels, including the top 100 channels in each country, and found that 278 channels were made entirely of AI garbage.
Together, these channels have more than 63 billion views and 221 million subscribers. By leveraging this audience, the channels generated around $117m (£90m) a year.
To measure how viral content went on the platform, the researchers created a new YouTube account with no personal preferences or interests. It was found that of the first 500 recommended videos, 104 were entirely AI slop, while around a third fell into a broader category of brainrot content, which is also another form of low-quality and meaningless AI-generated content.
These results indicate a rapidly growing ecosystem of algorithm-driven content that is spreading across social media platforms, including YouTube.
THE Tutor reported earlier this year that around 10% of YouTube’s fastest-growing channels are entirely AI-powered, despite the platform’s efforts to combat “inauthentic content.”
Interestingly, many of the biggest AI channels attract global audiences. In Spain, trending AI channels have gained 20 million subscribers, while similar channels with millions of subscribers exist in the United States, Egypt, Brazil and India.
Analysts say the popularity of AI slop comes from its absurdity, lack of narrative complexity, and algorithm amplification. While social media platforms claim to prioritize quality content, researchers say the reach of these AI channels indicates how effectively they leverage recommendation systems and are deeply embedded in the modern attention economy.
