A new study from TAG TrustNet and the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) found that “AI slop” — low-quality content created solely for monetization — may account for as much as 2.4% of programmatic spend on the open web. This places it at the same level as made-for-advertising (MFA) sites, which have plagued the industry for years by siphoning ad spend away from quality publishers toward lesser quality websites.
The study provides advertisers and agencies with a framework to improve their buying processes and offers suggestions for publishers to stand out for their quality content. This is first analysis to quantify and define AI slop.
The full report is available here, but here are a few key points to know and recommendations for buyers and publishers:
- While there’s significant overlap between AI slop and MFA content, the low cost and accessibility of generative AI have accelerated the speed and scale at which AI slop can be produced.
- Because this content is often engineered to pass through verification filters, it can be difficult for advertisers to identify and avoid. The report found that it often outperforms higher-quality inventory and command higher advertising costs.
- The industry needs stronger signals to help advertisers identify trusted media partners and enable publishers to demonstrate responsible AI practices. The report points to independent programs such as AAM's Ethical AI Certification as a way for publishers to stand out from AI slop by demonstrating transparency, accountability and responsible AI governance.
The analysis also offered several recommendations to help industry stakeholders address this issue and minimize AI slop’s impact.
Recommendations for Advertisers and Agencies:
- Review verification, quality and inventory controls to better identify AI-generated low-quality content that may evade traditional detection methods.
- Look beyond performance metrics alone when evaluating media quality and consider factors such as editorial standards, transparency and publisher accountability.
- Seek media partners that demonstrate responsible AI governance and provide greater transparency into how AI is used within their organizations and encourage partners to participate in independent validation programs like AAM’s certification.
Recommendations for Publishers:
- Establish clear AI governance policies and demonstrate implementation through AAM's Ethical AI Certification, which provides publishers with a practical framework for transparent, responsible AI use.
AAM’s Ethical AI Certification is available to all publishers as part of their AAM membership. Built upon AAM's Eight Pillars of Ethical AI, the certification helps publishers demonstrate responsible AI governance and provides advertisers with greater confidence in the quality, transparency and accountability of their media partners. Learn more about the framework in our latest report
