More than 20% of videos recommended to new YouTube users consist of low-quality AI-generated content designed solely to generate views and revenue, according to new research.
Video-editing company Kapwing surveyed 15,000 of the world’s most popular YouTube channels and identified 278 that contain exclusively “AI slop”, Aisha Down reports for The Guardian. These channels have collectively accumulated over 63 billion views and 221 million subscribers, generating approximately $117 million annually.
The researchers created a fresh YouTube account and found that 104 of the first 500 recommended videos were AI slop. One-third of all recommendations fell into the broader “brainrot” category, which includes AI slop and other low-quality content.
The top-performing AI slop channel, India-based Bandar Apna Dost, features an anthropomorphic monkey and a Hulk-like character in bizarre adventures. It has amassed 2.4 billion views and could earn up to $4.25 million. Singapore-based Pouty Frenchie, which appears to target children with content about a French bulldog, has generated 2 billion views and an estimated $4 million in annual revenue.
Behind these channels lies a growing industry of creators, many based in middle-income countries like Ukraine, India, Kenya, Nigeria and Brazil. They exchange tips on platforms like Telegram and Discord about producing engaging AI content that monetizes effectively.
Max Read, a journalist who covers AI slop, explains that success depends less on human creativity and more on understanding platform algorithms. YouTube states that all content must comply with community guidelines and that policy violations result in removal.
