Cutting Through AI Slop

There’s a new kind of noise showing up online, and people are noticing. AI-powered content floods feeds, inboxes, and even search results. It’s cheap, it’s fast, and, let’s be honest, most of it feels off. Brands, businesses, and creators are leaning hard into automation, but the cracks are obvious. The general public is catching on, and they’re not loving it.

AI slop, let’s call it what it is, looks like content cloned from the same template: generic, shallow, and increasingly irrelevant. It’s everywhere. Company blogs recycle bland how-tos that break no new ground. Social posts sound like mad libs. Newsletters tell you what you already know in a way that feels oddly soulless. Sure, some folks might not spot it at first, but look around: engagement is slipping, complaints about “robotic” voices are piling up, and trust is showing signs of strain.

Here’s the kicker: Content is meant to connect with people. If you want your brand to grow, to actually matter, you can’t phone in the conversation. When audiences see copy-paste advice or stale “thought leadership” that’s clearly spun out by a machine, they tune out, or worse, start mocking it. Just scan social media, where screenshots of obvious AI gaffes go viral. People crave something real. That’s what keeps brands sticky.

There’s risk, too. When everyone uses the same large language models out of the box, differentiation vanishes. Ranking on Google gets tougher. Readers start wondering if your insights are even yours. Your brand becomes just one more face in the crowd, and the crowd isn’t interested.

The solution isn’t to run from AI, but to get intentional. Blend tech with your team’s (or your own) insight. Use AI as a helper, not a crutch. If you model your voice, show up with real stories, opinions, and tailored ideas, you cut through the noise. Genuineness will always win. That’s what the public wants, now more than ever.

The temptation to chase scale and speed is strong, but the backlash is real. Don’t give your audience a reason to stop listening. Balance the speed of AI with the soul of your brand. Use tools that model your actual identity, not just generic prompts. Focus on creating human-first content using AI thoughtfully. That’s where trust, and loyalty, live.