Is the Internet Just AI Slop Now?
In this episode of The Intersect I am joined by Aidan Walker -- a writer, internet culture researcher and the creator of the substack How to Do Things with Memes -- to discuss how culture isn’t created for us but by us.
Aidan studies where viral content comes from, how it spreads and what it reveals about our world — a world in which we’re all producers. It’s not just creators, influencers, or journalists who determine what content is important and shapes our culture but the commenters, the reposters, and the larger online community.
But what happens when our feed is filled with AI-generated content? Listen to my conversation with Aidan to learn more.
Topics Covered:
The origins and implications of "slop capitalism" in the digital content economyThe algorithmic shift from meaningful engagement to content saturationThe role of Substack, TikTok, and digital community in reclaiming thoughtful contentWhy platforms prefer “slop” over quality: an incentive structure driven by control, not just profitHow smartphones became the default middleman for all modern experiences—dating, jobs, entertainmentHow cultural expression is increasingly limited to what algorithms can track, monetize, and approveThe power of reframing internet users from passive consumers to active producersWhy honoring internet culture as serious, collaborative creative work is vital for our futureAbout Aidan Walker:
Aidan Walker is a writer and meme researcher who posts on TikTok and YouTube under the handle @aidanetcetera. He also writes the Substack newsletter How To Do Things With Memes.
Some of Aidan Walker’s recent work on Slop, and other reference material:
The unstoppable rise of Chubby: Why TikTok's AI-generated cat could be the future of the internet
How Spammers and Scammers Leverage AI-Generated Images on Facebook for Audience Growth
Follow Aidan Walker on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube at @aidan.etcetera
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The Intersect with Cory Corrine
The Intersect is a new technology and science podcast from Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and media executive Cory Corrine (née Haik), exploring what it means to be human and find meaning in our automated world.
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