The Rise of “Slop” in Artificial Intelligence: A New Era of Unwanted Content
In the ever-evolving world of artificial intelligence, a new term has emerged: “slop.” While you may not be familiar with the exact definition of slop in relation to A.I., chances are you’ve encountered it in some form or another.
Slop, as it turns out, is a catch-all term used to describe shoddy or unwanted A.I. content that has infiltrated various aspects of our digital lives, from social media to search results. Think of Google suggesting adding nontoxic glue to make cheese stick to a pizza, or a low-price digital book that almost hits the mark but falls short. These are all examples of slop in action.
The term gained traction recently when Google integrated its Gemini A.I. model into its search results, aiming to provide users with direct answers rather than just links. However, the rollout was not without its hiccups, leading Google to backtrack on some of its A.I. features until they could be fine-tuned.
But with major search engines prioritizing A.I., it seems that machine-generated content will become a daily part of our online experience. This shift has raised concerns among experts like Kristian Hammond, who worry that A.I.-generated answers may discourage critical thinking and promote blind acceptance.
Despite the potential pitfalls of A.I.-assisted search, some believe that naming the problem, like calling it “slop,” can help address it. Linguist Adam Aleksic sees promise in the term, suggesting that it could become a widely recognized descriptor for low-grade A.I. material.
While the impact of A.I. on search engines and online content remains to be seen, early data suggests that the immediate effects may not be as dire as some fear. News organizations initially saw a drop in referrals from Google Discover after the introduction of A.I. overviews, but overall search traffic to major websites in the U.S. has actually increased.
As we navigate this new era of A.I.-generated content, the term “slop” may become a common way to refer to subpar machine-generated material. Whether it sticks around or fades into obscurity remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the age of slop in artificial intelligence is upon us.
