AI slop is here, it’s ubiquitous, it’s been used by US President Donald Trump, and it’s now the word of the year.
Macquarie Dictionary called the word the epitome of linguistics in 2025, and a panel of language experts said the results embody this year’s general theme of words, which are to reflect “key aspects of society or social change throughout the year”.
“Now, in 2025, we understand the meaning of slop: AI-generated slop, lacking any meaningful content or use,” the commission said in a statement announcing its decision.
“In recent years, we’ve learned to become search engineers to find meaningful information, but now we need to become nimble engineers to get through the slops of AI. Slops in this sense will be a powerful addition to the English language for years to come.”
“The question is: Will the people who ingest and regurgitate this content soon be called AI slackers?”
The term competed with a shortlist of other cultural moments and terms, including: Ozempic face (a condition caused by the use of the drug semaglutide). Blind box (a type of mystery box containing unseen collectibles). ate (and didn’t leave a crumb) (an expression used to indicate that someone did or performed something perfectly), the Roman Empire (a term used to describe a variety of events, interests, and subjects that one frequently finds oneself thinking about).
Sign up: AU breaking news email
Honorable mentions selected by the committee included the term “clunker,” which refers to an artificial intelligence-powered robot that performs tasks normally performed by humans. Medical misogyny refers to deep-rooted prejudice against women in the context of medicine and knowledge.
People’s Choice also selected areas related to AI, with honorable mentions for medical misogyny and the attention economy (an economy in which human attention is treated as a primary commodity).
The committee comprised the Macquarie Dictionary editorial team, as well as ABC language research expert Tiger Webb and cryptic crossword legend David Astle, better known as the DA.
Writing in the Sydney Morning Herald, Astle wrote that AI slop is the spam equivalent of the last decade.
“To be precise, AI is the clear winner in the internet sector,” he writes. “That verb can be neatly packed into fusions like slopaganda, slop music, and corpse slop, to name three.
“Despite the tough odds, the robot has won twice. It delivers not only the clunky slurs, but also the delicious slops served on request: an alphabet soup du jour with an unknown sauce.”
After newsletter promotion
AI has only grown in the past 12 months from its already stratospheric origins. Trump regularly uploads videos featuring AI slop to his millions of followers and was dubbed the “emperor” of such content by The New Yorker earlier this year.
Domestically, the Australian Electoral Commission has warned that AI is increasingly being used in various forms of communication, and while there are benefits, there are also clear downsides. These damages include deepfake videos, manipulated media, and forged audio.
Guardian Australia asked ChatGPT what he thought about the AI stall being called the 2025 update.
“The fact that AI slop won Word of the Year shows that people are becoming more discerning about the quality of AI-generated content,” AI Engine said. “This is good for everyone, including the development of better AI, because it creates pressure for transparency, accuracy, and content over quantity.”
ChatGPT said being asked about this honor serves as a reminder, a nudge, if you will, of its purpose.
“I exist to avoid expressing exactly what this term refers to, so seeing it elevated to a cultural milestone is like a reminder of the standards we must adhere to every time we answer a prompt.”
