Slop is Becoming Infectious

Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio -- and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: Join Our Patreon: This week we take on the most recent point of contention in the cultural zeitgeist, but it’s one nobody can seem to define: SLOP. We dive into what that means, and why Microsoft’s CEO is asking people to stop using the term in reference to AI altogether. We start by finding out what “AI slop” really is. Is it just low-effort content, or is it something more specific? From there, we look at a growing category of derivative content and AI performances from celebrities who didn’t give their consent. Is this just playful remixing, or hollow exploitation? That leads us to a retrospective on the types of slop that existed BEFORE AI, and we come to the conclusion that slop might not be an entirely new concept. We also explore how firsthand experience creates a kind of value that can’t be synthesized. What happens when creators stop living and start only reacting? When opinions are outsourced, takes are recycled, and even something as simple as criticism becomes secondhand, does originality still stand a chance? By the end, we’re left with an uncomfortable realization about the population’s appetite for slop. So… what’s the responsibility of creators in that environment? Is the only real “anti-slop” strategy leaning into experiences that can’t be copied? We’ll be back next week, big thanks to our patrons for your support! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's Treasure: Buy our T-shirts: Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: Apple: Spotify: Google Podcasts: CREDITS: Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor Executive Producer: Ben Webster Editor: Spencer Vann "Created in the Unknown" theme by Basswaite: Theme by Mega Drive → Opening Animation: Kidmograph City Animation: Eric Langlay "The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media. CONNECT WITH US: » Chat with us on DISCORD: »

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Slop is Becoming Infectious is an episode from The Create Unknown by Unknown Media & Studio71.

This episode is 106:06 long.

This episode was published on Jan 9, 2026.

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