AI Slop, Meta Madness, and the Battle for Human Creative

We’ve all seen the oversaturated, glowy, uncanny valley-rich images and videos flooding our feeds over the past year. You know, the ones your grandparents send to the family group chat of German Shepherds learning to parachute out of military planes or fishtank-lined staircases in someone’s house. This content, which the internet has dubbed “AI slop,” is quickly taking over. Not just our screens but creeping into real-world spaces in more subtle ways than the outright surrealism we saw a few years ago.

There’s so much of it that some worry large language models may begin cannibalizing themselves, regurgitating their own content in an endless feedback loop, feeding into ideas like the Dead Internet Theory. But even outside of conspiracy-adjacent circles, marketers are starting to feel it: the web is getting weird.

At the same time, we are also seeing an increase in cultural backlash towards AI. Memes like comparing asking Chat GPT a question to mythological answer-seeking have been filling up my feed. And while it’s never surprising to see the internet polarized over…well, literally anything (remember the dress?), what is surprising is how aggressively tech platforms are pushing AI-forward content despite the visible skepticism from users.

Meta is arguably the most aggressive major platform when it comes to AI-generated content. While Apple’s new “Apple Intelligence” has already been rolled out to all latest Apple devices (to the disappointment of many consumers), Meta’s changes are already landing directly in the ad accounts of marketers around the world – often without warning – and in the feeds of the 3 billion+ Meta users.

If you manage Meta ads, you’ve likely noticed updates rolling out inconsistently across accounts: Advantage+ Creative edits, auto-generated copy, new “suggested” visual formats, and dynamic text overlays. These updates aren’t just suggestions – they’re often implemented by default, with little transparency. Suddenly, you might see headlines you didn’t write, visuals you didn’t approve, or links that strip campaign tracking. The platform may even redirect to versions of your landing page that perform “better” based on machine logic rather than not your marketing plan.

While these new AI features are rolled out under the guise of performance boost and increased visibility, they come with a hefty lack of control for advertisers. The ad creative, brand voice and visual style can easily be misinterpreted, links can lose the correct tracking codes, and images can be changed and cropped to no longer reflect the ad content.

It’s not just a logistical nightmare; it’s a philosophical shift. We’re moving from intentional campaigns built by those who know the brand best to a distilled and easily scalable version built for the lowest common denominator.

Zuckerberg has said explicitly that Meta aims to fully automate ad creative soon. But if that future looks like the uncanny, over-lit images we see in “AI slop,” it raises the question: who is this content really for? Not for your audience, most likely. And definitely not for marketers trying to build trust, emotion, and place-specific storytelling in sectors like tourism.

From our perspective, AI-generated creative still has a long way to go. Below is an example from a campaign promoting an antiquing district. The image on the left is part of the actual creative provided by the destination, with Meta’s AI image selections on the right.

The difference is immediate: the sides columns show that dreamy, glowy look that defines “AI slop.” While the middle column images might look more real, the AI still struggles with details. Hands are distorted, objects don’t quite make sense, and the vibe doesn’t match the campaign’s tone or brand identity.

This isn’t to say that all uses of AI, especially in marketing, are problematic. Tools like Advantage+ targeting have helped improve ad performance while protecting user privacy more effectively than ever before. AI is a potent tool for streamlining workflows, idea generation, and even audience segmentation. It’s a great brainstorming partner. But as a final, consumer-facing product? The human touch is still what matters most.

That’s especially true in the travel industry, where we ask people to spend their time and money to experience something with all of their senses. The goal isn’t just a click or impression. It’s a memory, a story, a place. And specific gold standards for tourism marketing, like evoking a true sense of place, aren’t something a machine can authentically convey. Not yet.

AI is only going to become more embedded in our daily lives. It’s crucial for advertisers to stay vigilant of new implementations, stay up-to-date on new tools, and ensure brand integrity and audience trust throughout. Slop might scale quickly, but it rarely sticks. At a time when personalization and authenticity matter more than ever, the brands that win will be the ones that sound and feel human.

Scout Delicato
Lead Digital Marketing Strategist