The news: AI slop is everywhere—and YouTube is the latest platform trying to do something about it.

The video platform is rolling out an update to its Partner Program monetization rules on July 15, with a sharper focus on what counts as "authentic" content to counter a surge in AI-generated videos.

• As outlined by TechCrunch and Quartz, the platform is taking aim at spammy, low-effort videos churned out by AI—think recycled news blurbs, synthetic voiceovers over stock footage, and knockoff music loops.
• The company says the changes won’t impact legitimate formats like reaction videos, which brought some relief to worried creators.
• This shift comes as misleading content, including AI-generated scams and impersonations—like fake videos of CEO Neal Mohan—continue to stir concern.

YouTube is betting on AI-powered features to fuel Shorts’ growth but risks overwhelming viewers with low-quality “slop” as content volume surges. Faceless creators and VTubers are reshaping the creator economy—scaling cheap, AI-made content while raising concerns over authenticity and AI slop.

Zooming out: It’s not just YouTube dealing with this phenomenon.

• A rock band called The Velvet Sundown surged to popularity and topped charts on Spotify after releasing a debut album on June 5, only to later reveal that the entire group was artificially generated.
• On July 6, the creators updated the band’s Spotify biography, disclosing that Velvet Sundown is an AI-powered music project directed by humans and intended as an artistic experiment to explore authorship, identity, and creativity in the AI age.

Pinterest, too, is pushing back against AI slop with new labels and controls, while platforms like Reddit lean into their identity as hubs for authentic human perspectives over AI-generated content.

Why it matters: The explosion of generative AI has made it easy to crank out endless shallow videos, crowding YouTube and other platforms with clutter and raising flags about authenticity.

• Some of these AI-powered uploads rack up millions of views, which has sparked concerns around viewer trust and advertiser confidence.
• YouTube’s rule tweaks suggest they’re tightening the reins to stop monetization of this so-called slop and to uphold the quality users expect from the platform.

Our take: YouTube is stepping up its effort to clean house.

By drawing a line between smart use of AI and empty, mass-produced filler, the platform protects its space for creators who actually bring something new to the table—an overdue shift away from content mills toward meaningful originality.

Enforcement here will be key, but for now, the message is clear: Creativity still matters more than clicks.