“AI slop” is the low-quality artificial intelligence content flooding our social media feeds.
It’s spreading so fast that people are starting to question what’s real, while communities are feeling the impact of massive new data centers needed to power the artificial intelligence revolution.
The public backlash against the data centers and the rejection of phony AI content is getting real.
My name is Susan Ferrechio, and in this Q&A, we’re diving into the high-stakes debate between the White House, state leaders and the nation over the AI revolution, as Americans wonder whether being a global leader in Artificial Intelligence is actually worth the cost.
What is AI slop?
Merriam-Webster recently chose “slop” as its word of the year, defining it as low-quality digital content produced in great quantities by artificial intelligence. The tech firm Zebracat estimates that AI-generated videos now make up 40% of social platform video content.
Why are audiences pushing back on AI-generated ads?
The public is getting fed up with the fakery. McDonald’s in December pulled a 45-second AI-generated holiday ad after viewers found the phony scenes cringeworthy. Polls show Americans don’t trust AI content. A recent Gallup poll found that 77% of Americans do not believe businesses will use AI responsibly.
How does AI-generated content compete directly with human-made work?
AI is creeping into the entertainment industry. Here’s one example: According to Billboard, AI music is now producing popular songs and is competing in the marketplace.
What is the risk for businesses?
A McKinsey report determined that AI could eventually take over 57% of all work hours. So, many different jobs are threatened by the AI industry.
What are some potential benefits of AI?
It’s not all slop. Artificial intelligence has helped make advances in science and medicine. It’s improved government efficiency and it’s helped the U.S. intelligence agencies and the military analyze threats. It’s accelerating research into diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, according to the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. Advances in AI help everyday Americans more than they realize, automating tasks like smart home management and even driving directions.
How is AI becoming a child safety issue?
Character.AI recently banned under-18 users from conversing with its chatbots. The company made the decision following a lawsuit that alleged a chatbot’s content included sexualized and violent language that caused a child to harm himself.
Why is the Trump administration pushing a single federal AI policy?
Trump argues AI cannot succeed with 50 different sources of approval from the states. A national AI policy, he said, is needed to win the AI race against China. Earlier this month, the president issued an executive order creating an AI litigation task force to challenge the state laws. The task force will be set up within the Justice Department and headed by Attorney General Pam Bondi.
How are local communities responding to the development of hyperscale data centers?
Counties in more than a dozen states are now actively acting to block or slow down the development of massive AI data centers in their backyards. Among them, Warrenton, Virginia, which recently moved to ban future data centers after public backlash. The data centers use vast amounts of energy and water, driving up energy costs for rate payers and straining water resources. Each hyperscale data center needs up to 300,000 gallons of water daily for cooling its processors. By 2030, data centers are projected to use nearly 12 percent of U.S. electricity.
How are states responding to Trump’s new AI policy?
Not all states are going along with the growth of AI. Governor Ron DeSantis in Florida is proposing a States’ Bill of Rights to exert control over the use of artificial intelligence and harms it may cause, and to monitor the construction of data centers in Florida.Â
Read more: The AI backlash is getting real
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