A significant portion of YouTube's content and revenue is now driven by low-quality, AI-generated videos, commonly dubbed 'AI slop' or 'brainrot', according to a new investigation. A report from video-editing firm Kapwing, published on December 28, 2025, estimates that such content generates roughly £90,000,000 in annual revenue and has accumulated more than 63,000,000,000 views.
The Pervasive Scale of AI-Generated Content
Kapwing's research suggests this AI content could constitute more than 20 per cent of what appears in a user's YouTube feed. To test prevalence, researchers created a fresh YouTube account and found that 104 of the first 500 Shorts clips served were AI-generated.
The study surveyed 15,000 of the platform's most popular channels globally and identified 278 channels that consist entirely of AI slop. These channels boast millions of subscribers worldwide. Spanish AI slop channels lead in subscriber count with 20 million, followed by Egypt (18m), the United States (14.5m), and Brazil (13.5m).
Viewing Figures and Lucrative Channels
View counts for this content are staggering in certain nations. In South Korea, trending brainrot channels have racked up 8.45 billion views—164 times the country's total population. Five of the top ten most-viewed AI slop channels are based there. Pakistan recorded 5.34 billion views, with the US at 3.29 billion.
The financial incentive is clear. Kapwing highlights the Indian channel Bandar Apna Dost, which has 2.4 billion views and could earn up to £3.1 million. Another channel, Singapore-based Pouty Frenchie, which features a French bulldog and targets children, may make nearly £3 million a year. Typical videos include fake K-pop music videos and looped synthetic animal clips.
Expert Concerns Over 'Brainrot' and Mental Health
While the term is often used humorously, experts warn of real consequences, particularly for Generation Alpha. Media researcher Emilie Owens from the University of Oslo notes young people seek out brainrot as a way to switch off from stress, viewing it as an 'oasis of calm'.
However, Eryk Salvaggio, a researcher at Cambridge University, points out that such bizarre content excels at sparking 'emotion and anger', making it extremely viral. The US-based Newport Institute warns that endless scrolling can become a behavioural addiction, spiking dopamine and desensitising young people to negative stimuli, potentially harming planning, organisation, and decision-making skills.
In response to the findings, a YouTube spokesperson stated: 'Generative AI is a tool, and like any tool it can be used to make both high- and low-quality content. We remain focused on connecting our users with high-quality content, regardless of how it was made.' The platform reiterated that all content must comply with its community guidelines.
