YouTube's public stance on cracking down on low-quality, mass-produced AI videos may sound tough, but new research suggests the platform's recommendation system is still pushing large amounts of such content to users, including first-time viewers. The findings raise new questions about how effective YouTube's policies really are, especially now that AI-generated videos are easier and cheaper to produce at scale. More than one in five videos recommended for new YouTube accounts could be classified as what the company calls “AI slop,” according to a report from video editing company Kapwing. Researchers analyzed the content of 15,000 of the world's most popular YouTube channels to understand how widespread this trend is and how much engagement these videos receive.
3.8 billion rupees? AI slop Bandar Apna Dost makes a lot of money on YouTube in just a few months
Looking at the numbers makes the magnitude of the problem clearer. Kapwing found that 278 of the analyzed channels uploaded only AI slop videos. Combined, these channels have amassed an astounding 63 billion views and approximately 221 million subscribers. Despite YouTube's rules stating that such low-quality AI-generated content is not eligible for monetization, the report estimates that these channels collectively earn about $117 million annually through indirect means.
India features prominently in the survey results. The most-watched AI slop channel identified in the study was “Bandar Apna Dost,” which Kapwing said is based in India. This channel alone has over 2.4 billion views. The videos typically feature AI-generated rhesus macaques with human-like features, often paired with muscular Hulk-like characters, to battle demons in dramatic, repetitive storylines designed to keep viewers hooked. Kapwing estimates that even if it is not officially monetized under YouTube's standard advertising policies, this single channel could potentially bring in around $4.25 million (approximately Rs. 3,800 crore) annually.
To understand how this content reaches viewers, researchers directly tested YouTube's recommendation engine. After setting up a new account, I tracked the first 500 videos that were suggested to me on my home feed. Of these, 104 were labeled as AI slops. About a third of the remaining recommendations fell into a broader category the researchers described as “brain rot,” which primarily referred to low-effort, repetitive content optimized for clicks and watch time.
This report paints a picture of a rapidly growing and loosely organized ecosystem built around generative AI tools. At one level, there are creators who use freely available software to churn out large volumes of AI-generated videos. The other are individuals who often operate in a gray area, selling courses and “guaranteed viral” strategies that teach others how to replicate this model and engage with the farm.
YouTube has always hosted a mix of high-quality and questionable content, but AI's lag stands out in how quickly it can be created and scaled. A single creator, or even a small team, can upload dozens of similar videos every day at minimal cost, which was not possible in the pre-AI era.
YouTube has already started blocking fake AI content
The growing frustration isn't limited to YouTube. Across platforms like Instagram and X, users are complaining that their feeds are becoming increasingly cluttered with bizarre, repetitive, and low-quality AI-generated posts. In response, platforms are tightening their rules and increasing their reliance on takedowns. Earlier this month, YouTube reportedly blocked two major channels that were uploading fake AI-generated movie trailers, a move that appears to be part of a broader cleanup effort.
At the same time, there are clear contradictions in how big tech companies view AI content. During an October earnings call, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg spoke candidly about how AI is helping create “yet another huge amount of content” for Facebook and Instagram, arguing that easier creation and remixing will lead to more sharing and engagement. YouTube also looks to this future by integrating Veo 3, Google's latest AI video generator, directly into Shorts, allowing users to create vertical AI-powered videos within the app.
YouTube responds to latest AI slop study
In response to Kapwing's findings, YouTube defended its approach. “Generative AI is a tool, and like any other tool, it can be used to create both high-quality and low-quality content,” a company spokesperson said, as quoted by the Guardian. The platform said it remains focused on connecting users with high-quality content, adding that all videos, regardless of how they are created, must adhere to its community guidelines.
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