The Trashy Aesthetics of Slop

I’ve talked in length about the ethical quandaries surrounding generative AI, from the industrial-scale theft of intellectual property to the ways it harms both the natural as well as digital environments due to its extractive nature. But I also want to talk about the aesthetics of the slop output we have to contend with now on a regular basis, and I don’t just mean the political side of it—I and many others have been sounding the alarm that genAI lines right up with aesthetics of fascism. Rather, I want to explore the relationship between the slop machines and true art forms, and why we just aren’t seeing anything meaningful and lasting being produced using these problematic technologies.

Hosted by Jared White
Produced by Intuitive Future // Join Intuitive+ Today and support the show for only $5 a month
Subscribe to the Cycles Hyped No More newsletter, the companion to Vibe Coded
Theme music by Ben Elson

Links