In the age of AI, creating content has never been easier. Powerful tools that were once reserved for professionals are now at everyone’s fingertips, making it possible for anyone to generate art, film, music, or writing with a few clicks and prompts.

This democratization is exciting—it’s like handing out paintbrushes to the masses and seeing a range of creative expressions. But let’s face it: not everyone’s painting a masterpiece.

Experts estimate that as much as 90 percent of online content may be synthetically generated by 2026, according to Europol.

When AI-generated content floods the internet, how do we ensure the best ideas rise to the surface?

For every well-crafted piece of AI content, there’s a tidal wave of slop. And as the internet fills up with endless streams of this genAI content, the real question isn’t just how we create but how we discover the magic hidden in the mess.

The Infinite Scroll of Slop

We’re no strangers to digital clutter. We’re already living it; AI didn’t start this problem, but it’s expediting it. 

This content flood creates a paradox: while creativity becomes more accessible, the value of individual creative efforts risks being diminished. It’s like shouting into an ever-growing crowd—no matter how good your message is, it’s harder to be heard. 

And for consumers, the endless stream of mediocre content makes finding meaningful art, stories, or music feel like searching for a needle in an AI-generated haystack.

Who (or What) Decides What’s Worthy?

Traditionally, critics, editors, and curators have served as essential gatekeepers, elevating quality content by sifting through the noise to spotlight the best of the best. These human filters have helped shape our cultural landscape, guiding audiences toward meaningful work.

Today, the role of gatekeeping has largely shifted to platforms and algorithms, fundamentally transforming how we discover content. Platforms like Google, YouTube, TikTok, and Spotify curate what we see, relying on algorithms to analyze user behavior—what we click, like, or share—to determine which content gets surfaced. While this shift has made it easier for creators to reach large audiences, it’s also deprioritized traditional markers of quality in favor of engagement metrics.

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But the speed and volume of AI-generated content are overwhelming even for these systems. And let’s be honest: the algorithms filling our feeds don’t always have the best taste. 

Algorithms, after all, are designed to maximize engagement, prioritizing clicks, likes, and shares over creativity, originality, or meaning. 

This leaves creators and consumers alike asking an important question: who (or what) decides what’s worth our attention?