A version of this story appeared in CNN Business’ Nightcap newsletter. To receive it in your inbox, sign up for free here. Artificial intelligence-generated “slop”—bland, mass-produced content—is increasingly infiltrating slide decks, social media feeds, news outlets, and even real estate listings. Merriam-Webster’s editors named “slop” their 2025 word of the year, describing it as something undesirable and pervasive. Looking ahead, I predict 2026 will mark the rise of “100% human” marketing. AI “slop” once conjured silly images like “Shrimp Jesus” or cartoonish characters, but it has become more sophisticated, eroding the confidence of internet-savvy users who once easily spotted fakes. Traditional giveaways such as unnatural lighting or awkward visuals have been largely eliminated. Scrolling through TikTok now feels like a challenge: can you distinguish real from AI-generated content, or do you just double-tap on a cute video?Most of us fall for it, and that leads to a frustrating feeling of being deceived. A backlash is already emerging.

For example, iHeartMedia recently launched a “guaranteed human” campaign, pledging to avoid AI-generated personalities or music. Their research shows 90% of listeners—including AI tool users—prefer human-made media. CEO Bob Pittman emphasized that consumers are seeking meaning, not just convenience, especially amid today’s turbulent times. Similarly, The Tyee, a small Canadian independent news site, declared a strict no-AI policy, refusing to publish AI-generated journalism. While major news outlets have not followed suit, some like The Washington Post face criticism after embracing AI, notably a mistake-riddled AI podcast bot. In Hollywood, AI raises existential fears. The Apple TV show “Pluribus, ” by Vince Gilligan, proudly states it was made by humans, while creators of the AI “actress” Tilly Norwood stress she’s a digital experiment rather than a human replacement. Pinterest’s increasing use of AI alienates loyal users, and in New York City, ads for the AI wearable “Friend” have been vandalized with anti-AI messages like “AI is not your friend. ” One artist launched Slop Evader, a browser extension that filters web search results to only those before November 2022, before ChatGPT’s debut. While this AI pushback remains small compared to widespread corporate enthusiasm for AI’s potential productivity and creativity boosts, it’s unclear if anti-AI marketing experiments will pay off. As Wall Street and executives tout AI’s brilliance, many consumers may view it with suspicion. Though chatbots and image generators offer fun and utility—like creating whimsical videos or improving travel searches—they also fuel misinformation and can trap people in harmful falsehoods, as seen when xAI’s Grok spread confusion during the Bondi Beach shooting. In response, consumers and creators might be ready to resist AI’s dominance, choosing instead to value products and content authentically crafted by humans.