Enjoy ‘AI slop’ summer. What’s coming next is worse

AI-generated content is becoming increasingly prevalent on social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook, with millions of users creating and sharing AI-generated images and videos. However, much of this content is considered "AI slop," low-quality material often produced by low-wage workers in developing countries aiming to harvest clicks. This type of content frequently spreads further via messaging apps like WhatsApp and is often political in nature. AI-generated content is also surfacing in search results, pushing aside higher-quality human-created material, and is being used in e-commerce platforms like Amazon. Some news organizations have started publishing AI-written articles, which are often riddled with inaccuracies. The line between real and fake content is blurring fast, making it difficult to distinguish between genuinely human-made material and AI-generated content. Reddit is suing Anthropic over AI training data, accusing the company of using user-generated content without permission, causing harm to the platform. The lawsuit highlights the growing importance of content licensing for AI training, a big and growing business for Reddit. Meanwhile, the Trump administration's ban on foreign students is seen as a self-own, as it will likely hinder the US's ability to compete in the global AI race. International graduate students with advanced technical skills are more valuable than ever, and the administration's move is seen as a retreat from the global competition for AI talent.