A study found that more than 20% of the videos that YouTube's algorithm shows new users are “AI slop,” or low-quality AI-generated content designed to increase views.
Video editing company Kapwing looked at 15,000 of the world's most popular YouTube channels (top 100 from each country) and found that 278 of them contained only AI slop.
According to estimates, these AI slop channels collectively attract more than 63 billion views and 221 million subscribers, generating approximately $117 million (99 million euros) in revenue each year.
The researchers also created a new YouTube account and found that 104 of the first 500 videos recommended to its feed were AI slops. A third of the 500 videos were “brainrot,” a category that includes AI slop and other low-quality content created to monetize attention.
The findings are a snapshot of the rapidly expanding industry that saturates major social media platforms, from X to Meta to YouTube, defining a new era of decontextualized, addictive, and international content.
The channels discovered by Kapwing are distributed and viewed around the world. In Spain, 20 million people, almost half of the country's population, follow trending AI channels.
The AI channel has 18 million followers in Egypt, 14.5 million in the US, and 13.5 million in Brazil.
Bandar Apna Dost, the most watched channel in the study, is based in India and currently has 2.4 billion views. It follows the adventures of an anthropomorphic rhesus macaque and a muscular character modeled after the Incredible Hulk who fights demons and travels in a helicopter made of tomatoes. Mr Kapwing estimated that the channel could generate up to $4.25 million (€3.61 million) in revenue.
Technology and digital rights researcher Rohini Lakshane said Bandar Apna Dost's popularity is probably due to its absurdity, hyper-masculine metaphors and the fact that it has no plot, which makes it approachable to new audiences.
Singapore-based Pouty Frenchie has 2 billion views and appears to be targeting children. This piece chronicles the adventures of a French bulldog. Many of them are soundtracked by children's laughter, such as driving to the candy forest and eating crystal sushi. Kapwing estimates it has annual revenues of $4 million (€3.4 million). US-based Quentos Facinantes also appears to be targeting children with its comic book stories. With 6.65 million subscribers, it is the channel with the most subscribers in our study.
Meanwhile, Pakistan-based The AI World includes short AI-generated videos about Pakistan's devastating floods, titled: poor people, poor familyand flood kitchen. Many of these videos are set to soundtracks called. relax rain, Thunder and lightning atmosphere for sleep. The channel itself has 1.3 billion views.
Becoming an AI slop creator isn't always easy. First, Reed said YouTube and Meta's creator programs aren't always transparent about who is being paid and how much for their content.
For another, the AI slop ecosystem is full of scammers. That is, people selling tips and courses on how to create viral content. They often make more money than the AI slop producers themselves.
— The Guardian
