Everyone’s talking about how AI is changing the internet. But the real question is, should we be doing more to block AI-generated content? For content creators and users alike, stopping the flood of AI “slop” is becoming a top priority. With AI tools producing more content every day, it’s clear that most online material isn’t created by humans anymore, even if that’s not the whole story.

The Growing Presence of AI in Online Content

Back in 2025, studies showed that about 74% of new content online was created with AI or bots. That number is climbing fast. Some predictions say that by the end of this year, over 90% of all content could be AI-generated. The truth is, most internet content isn’t from real people, even if it looks human-made. That doesn’t mean the conspiracy theories about secret cabals controlling everything are true. But it does highlight how much of what we see online is artificial.

This trend isn’t just limited to text or images. Companies are producing podcasts, videos, and books with AI at an industrial scale. For example, a company called Inception Point AI has created over 5,000 AI-hosted podcasts with more than 50 different AI personalities. They claim to be bringing “people to life,” but many listeners might not realize they’re listening to AI voices. These AI hosts start episodes by saying they’re AI, but that doesn’t mean everyone catches on. The industry is flooded with similar ventures, all pushing AI content harder than ever.

The Rise of AI-Generated Media and Its Impact

AI isn’t just writing stories or hosting podcasts. It’s making videos, creating images, and even designing books. Platforms like YouTube benefit from AI tools that help small teams and solo creators produce hundreds of videos daily through automated editing, scripting, and thumbnail creation. On Amazon, more than 70% of new Kindle books are partly or fully AI-written. The volume of AI-created content is staggering, with some channels uploading hundreds of thousands of videos and images daily.

In the world of images, AI has made perfect pictures commonplace. Since 2022, over 15 billion images have been generated with text-to-image AI models. Daily, millions of new images are churned out for use in advertising, fashion, entertainment, and even art. But there’s a darker side. AI-generated images can be used maliciously for fake news, propaganda, scams, and illegal content. Because AI images cost next to nothing to produce, bad actors can flood the internet with convincing fakes that are hard to spot. Studies show that most people struggle to tell AI images apart from real ones, making deception easier than ever.

In the coming months, experts predict that over 99% of online content could be AI-generated. This shift means we’re moving toward an internet where humans are a minority in the content we consume. But who benefits from this? Often, it’s the same companies pushing AI to maximize profits, not necessarily to serve the best interests of users or creators. The question is, why do we accept a digital world dominated by machines, where the purpose of content seems to be for machines to shove data at us?

Taking Action: How to Fight Back Against AI Overload

It’s time for users to demand better tools and policies to limit AI content. Some search engines and platforms are starting to give users options. For instance, Kagi Search allows users to filter out AI-generated images and prioritize human-created content. You can choose to see only real images or exclude AI images altogether. Similarly, DuckDuckGo offers a filter to hide AI-generated pictures from search results. These are small steps but important ones in giving people control over what they see online.

However, the options are still limited. Big platforms like Google and Microsoft are only beginning to add controls, and many sites still flood feeds with AI content without options to filter or block it. As AI-generated content becomes the default, the need for more robust filtering tools grows. Content platforms and consumers alike should push for policies that prioritize human-created work and give users real choices. After all, the internet was built for human communication, not for machines to replace human connection with endless streams of artificial content.

In the end, the battle isn’t just about blocking AI content. It’s about preserving the human touch in our online lives. As AI continues to advance, it’s crucial that we stay vigilant and advocate for tools that put people first. Only then can we ensure the internet remains a space for genuine expression and meaningful interaction, not just a digital playground for bots and algorithms.

Inspired by

• https://www.computerworld.com/article/4063408/its-time-to-push-back-against-the-ai-internet.html

Sources

• gmpg.org
• pixabay.com
• wikipedia.org
• designs.ai
• machinesociety.ai