Introduction to Slop
Like most tools, generative AI models can be misused. And when the misuse gets bad enough that a major dictionary notices, you know it’s become a cultural phenomenon. On Sunday, Merriam-Webster announced that “slop” is its 2025 Word of the Year, reflecting how the term has become shorthand for the flood of low-quality AI-generated content that has spread across social media, search results, and the web at large. The dictionary defines slop as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.”
What is Slop?
Merriam-Webster president Greg Barlow told the Associated Press, “It’s such an illustrative word. It’s part of a transformative technology, AI, and it’s something that people have found fascinating, annoying, and a little bit ridiculous.” To select its Word of the Year, Merriam-Webster’s editors review data on which words rose in search volume and usage, then reach consensus on which term best captures the year. Barlow told the AP that the spike in searches for “slop” reflects growing awareness among users that they are encountering fake or shoddy content online.
The Impact of AI on Language
Dictionaries have been tracking AI’s impact on language for the past few years, with Cambridge having selected “hallucinate” as its 2023 word of the year due to the tendency of AI models to generate plausible-but-false information. The trend extends to online culture in general, which is ripe with new coinages. This year, Oxford University Press chose “rage bait,” referring to content designed to provoke anger for engagement. Cambridge Dictionary selected “parasocial,” describing one-sided relationships between fans and celebrities or influencers.
The Evolution of Slop
The word “slop” originally entered English in the 1700s to mean soft mud. By the 1800s, it had evolved to describe food waste fed to pigs, and eventually came to mean rubbish or products of little value. The new AI-related definition builds on that history of describing something unwanted and unpleasant.
Conclusion
The selection of “slop” as Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year highlights the growing concern about the quality of online content and the impact of AI on our language and culture. As AI technology continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how our language adapts to these changes and how we find ways to distinguish between high-quality and low-quality content.
FAQs
- Q: What is the meaning of the word "slop" in the context of AI?
A: In the context of AI, "slop" refers to digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence. - Q: Why was "slop" chosen as Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year?
A: "Slop" was chosen as Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year because of its growing usage and relevance to the current cultural phenomenon of low-quality AI-generated content. - Q: How does the word "slop" relate to the history of the English language?
A: The word "slop" has a long history in the English language, originally meaning soft mud, then evolving to describe food waste and eventually rubbish or products of little value. The new AI-related definition builds on this history of describing something unwanted and unpleasant.
