IMPORTANT: ALL IMAGES DEPICTING ANIMALS IN THIS ARTICLE HAVE BEEN CREATED WITH AI.
Browsing social media lately, you might have come across posts that seem a little… peculiar.
Whether it’s grainy CCTV footage of a dog rescuing a child from a bear, a clip of wild bunnies on a trampoline, or a photo of a Christmas market outside Buckingham Palace.
These are all AI-generated, and due to their subpar quality and lack of authenticity, they’re being dubbed AI “slop”.
Both social media users and content creators express concern that this influx of AI slop is diminishing the genuine online experience and overshadowing authentic posts.
However, a newer trend, where people incorporate AI-generated animals into their original photographs, has encouraged some content creators to embrace AI.
“I found it quite unique because it appeared so real,” remarks influencer Zoe Ilana Hill.
The 26-year-old adopted the trend after being impressed by another content creator’s imaginative use of AI, who had edited her original photos to include AI dogs.
“I prefer to view AI not as a threat to my profession, but as something I can collaborate with,” states the full-time influencer.
Zoe, who has 82,000 followers, feels that platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are attempting to “promote” and “impose AI” on users, and she has seen her share of “slop” in her own feed.
Yet, she recognized the potential in the AI animal trend, anticipating that her post would perform well as she believed social media users would “react with ‘oh my God, she’s holding a deer'”.
“The deer is so appropriate for the season, and it’s incredibly rare to actually encounter a deer in person,” she explains.
Zoe reports that her post was a hit, garnering over 20,000 likes and comments such as: “No way, this is the most adorable thing ever” and “this trend is precious!!!!”
Whenever Zoe shares an AI-generated photo, she makes sure to clarify its origin. “There’s actually a tag [on Instagram] allowing you to indicate that a photo was created by AI.”
“I don’t think it’s right for people to believe something is real when it isn’t.”
When influencers fail to disclose their use of AI, it can lead to misunderstanding.
This was evident with a German influencer, boasting 900,000 followers, who posted an image featuring dozens of AI dalmatians with the caption: “just me, living my dream”.
One user inquired: “Is it AI? I’ve seen a post like this three times today.”
Another respondent expressed concern for the digital animals’ welfare, adding “there are many dogs in animal shelters who would appreciate a loving home”.
“Attractive women have started using AI,” an X user posted while discussing the trend, sharing animal photos from various influencers in a post viewed nearly 27 million times.
However, not everyone views this particular use of AI as harmless entertainment.
Another X user retorted: “They are not attractive because they use AI for pointless junk that could easily be created manually with Photoshop.”
Clara Sandell, a marketing professional and digital creator from Finland, participated in the trend after seeing it “everywhere” and finding the posts “so charming.”
“I added my own unique touch to the trend, incorporating my spirit animals and my favorite animals,” the 38-year-old states.
Clara shared a carousel of photos on Instagram featuring tigers, an elk, a horse, and various cats and dogs.
The response to the photos was favourable, with many describing the post as “stylish” and “lovely.”
When asked about future AI trends, she replied “depending on how charming the trend is,” and if it maintained transparency, making it clear that “it’s AI” being utilized.
For content creators aiming to produce high-quality images, social media consultant Matt Navarra believes AI simplifies the creation of “fantastical high gloss” and “aesthetic” content for influencers, “whether it involves wild animals generated, or something far more credible.”
While some AI content online is unrealistic and clearly artificial, Mr. Navarra notes that “most individuals serious about being a creator or an influencer wish to preserve their reputation.”
He thinks many creators are “emphasizing authenticity” to secure their place in the feed amidst “a deluge of AI-generated content, or AI slop as it’s been called.”
The consultant forecasts that 2026 will be the year AI-dominated content takes over social media, adding: “If you found AI animal content unusual, I suggest you brace yourselves.”
However, not everyone will be pleased by this news.
Maddi Mathers, a tattoo artist from Melbourne, commented “love you but not the AI” on the same German influencer’s post featuring the AI dalmatians.
Commenting is not something Maddi, who describes herself as a “very quiet social media user,” typically does.
But when the tattoo artist first saw the photo, she initially believed it was real, before further scrolling revealed the adorable dalmatians were “evidently very fake.”
“Honestly, it’s such a simple thing but it makes you feel foolish when AI deceives you,” the 25-year-old explains.
Maddi argues that such AI posts create an element of distrust because “there’s such an emphasis on being genuine and revealing your true personality” as an influencer.
She believes that when creators publish content that isn’t real, it can be “detrimental to their career” as their audience “will no longer know what to believe.”
AI slop isn’t inherently negative; rather, it’s “the speed and volume of what we’re generating” that concerns creative health scientist Katina Bajaj.
“When we’re creating and consuming AI-generated content at such an accelerated pace, we aren’t allowing our brains sufficient time to process,” Mrs. Bajaj states.
She clarifies that, from her perspective, the solution to AI slop isn’t to prohibit it or “disparage AI tools,” but to “prioritize and value our creative well-being more than continuously generating content.”
Currently, there is no mandate “to label images that have been created or modified with AI” on Instagram, according to Meta’s policy.
Nevertheless, “images will still receive a label if Meta’s systems detect that they were AI-generated.”
TikTok recently introduced a new feature allowing users to customize their feed, which includes options to see more or less AI-generated content.
The ‘Manage Topics’ feature aims to help users tailor their ‘For You page’ to ensure a diverse range of content, rather than completely removing or substituting content.
Many AI software options are available for this trend, but not all can produce the flawless content often depicted on social media.
Emily Manns, a fashion content creator from the US, didn’t quite get what she expected when she purchased several AI apps to participate in the trend, receiving “one solitary rodent” in what was supposed to be an aesthetically pleasing photo.
“I don’t even know what the animal was,” the 34-year-old commented.
“The photo took about 2 minutes to load, and when it did, I was laughing hysterically.”
The app also added an extra finger to the influencer’s hand and distorted her face.
Emily mentioned that she posted the photo to her Instagram but “deleted it instantly” because the content wasn’t generating much engagement.