The scale of it suggests this is no longer a fringe problem but a structural feature of today’s social media economy.

The findings are based on research by video-editing firm Kapwing, which analysed 15,000 of YouTube’s most popular channels, covering the top 100 channels in every country. It identified 278 channels made up entirely of AI slop. Together, these channels have accumulated 63 billion views, attracted 221 million subscribers, and generate an estimated $117 million a year in advertising revenue.

To have an unbiased view, researchers also created a brand-new YouTube account. Of the first 500 videos recommended, 104 were AI slop. Nearly one-third fell into what the study calls “brainrot”—repetitive videos made to keep viewers watching without clear progression.