YouTube's recommendation algorithm is actively promoting a wave of bizarre, low-quality AI-generated videos, with new research revealing that more than one in five videos suggested to first-time users fall into this category.
The Multi-Million Pound AI Content Industry
A comprehensive survey by video-editing firm Kapwing has exposed the staggering scale of so-called 'AI slop' on the platform. The company analysed 15,000 of the world's most popular YouTube channels and found 278 dedicated entirely to this synthetic content.
Collectively, these channels have racked up a colossal 63 billion views and 221 million subscribers. Kapwing estimates they generate roughly $117 million (£90 million) in annual revenue, highlighting a lucrative, if controversial, new digital economy.
To test the user experience, researchers created a fresh YouTube account. They discovered that 104 of the first 500 videos recommended were AI slop. A broader category of low-quality 'brainrot' content, designed purely to monetise attention, made up one-third of all suggestions.
Global Reach and Bizarre Niches
This phenomenon is not confined to one region. The AI slop channels identified have a massive global footprint, with millions of followers in numerous countries. In Spain, trending AI channels are followed by 20 million people—nearly half the nation's population. The US has 14.5 million followers, Brazil 13.5 million, and Egypt 18 million.
The content itself ranges from the absurd to the concerning. The study's most-viewed channel, 'Bandar Apna Dost' from India, has amassed 2.4 billion views with surreal storylines featuring an anthropomorphic monkey and a Hulk-like character. Kapwing estimates its yearly revenue could reach $4.25 million.
Other prominent examples include 'Pouty Frenchie' from Singapore (2 billion views), which targets children with animations of a French bulldog, and 'The AI World' from Pakistan, which uses AI to generate shorts of catastrophic flooding set to relaxing rain soundtracks.
The Human Ecosystem Behind the Algorithms
Behind these uncanny videos lies a semi-structured, international industry. Creators, often from middle-income countries with strong internet access like India, Ukraine, Kenya, Nigeria, and Brazil, congregate on messaging apps like Telegram and Discord. They exchange tips and sell courses on how to produce engaging 'slop' that can turn a profit.
"They have what they call niches," explained journalist Max Read, who has written extensively on the topic. "One that I noticed recently is AI videos of people’s pressure cookers exploding on the stove."
However, the path is fraught with challenges. Payment structures from platforms like YouTube and Meta are often opaque, and the ecosystem is rife with scammers selling dubious advice. Ultimately, success depends less on human creativity and more on cracking the distribution algorithms of the major platforms, treating them as giant A/B testing machines.
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 research underscores a pivotal shift in digital content creation, where AI tools are enabling a new wave of international, algorithm-optimised media that is redefining what millions watch online every day.
