A growing share of content on YouTube is being dominated by low-effort, AI-generated videos commonly referred to as “AI slop” or “brainrot,” according to new research by video platform Kapwing. The study estimates that between 21 per cent and 33 per cent of YouTube’s feed may now consist of such content, raising concerns about visibility for human-led creators and the long-term quality of the platform’s ecosystem.
Kapwing analysed social data from trending YouTube channels across countries to understand how widespread AI-generated spam content has become and how much reach and revenue it is generating. The researchers examined the top 100 trending YouTube channels in each country, identified AI slop channels, and used Social Blade data to estimate views, subscribers and annual earnings. To assess user experience, Kapwing also created a new YouTube account and tracked the prevalence of AI slop videos among the first 500 YouTube Shorts served.
The findings show that Spain has the largest combined subscriber base for trending AI slop channels, totalling 20.22 million subscribers, despite having fewer such channels than several other countries. South Korea, meanwhile, leads in total views, with its trending AI slop channels accumulating 8.45 billion views nearly 1.6 times more than Pakistan and more than double the United States.
India’s Bandar Apna Dost emerged as the most-viewed AI slop channel globally, with 2.07 billion views and estimated annual earnings of about $4.25 million. The most-subscribed AI slop channel is U.S.-based, Spanish-language channel Cuentos Facinantes, which has amassed 5.95 million subscribers.
Kapwing’s analysis also found that brainrot-style videos accounted for roughly one-third of the first 500 YouTube Shorts shown to a new user, highlighting how difficult it has become for viewers to avoid such content. While AI-generated video is increasingly used by artists and major brands, the rise of mass-produced AI slop continues to fuel debate over creativity, ethics and platform governance in the age of generative media.
