AI Slop vs. The Soul of Content Creation

I recently had a conversation that really made me think about the difference between making content and making connection. It boiled down to a simple question: when you create something, are you being a craftsman, or are you just making slop?

The thing about new technology, like generative AI, is that it speeds up the “making” part exponentially. You can prompt a logo, churn out a thousand-word article, or develop a social media calendar in a fraction of the time it used to take. And on the surface, you got the job done. But did you make something good?

This is where my brain splits into two. There’s the “normie” me, the guy who walks down the street and sees a poorly executed, clearly AI-generated sign for a handyman company. The normie me probably doesn’t even pause. I just think, “I probably wouldn’t hire them,” and keep walking. No emotion, no fuss.

Then there’s the marketer me, the executive function, and that guy has a lot of questions. That poorly made sign shows a care level so low that I immediately question the quality of the service on the other side. It suggests a focus on the transaction—get a sign up fast, get a job done—rather than the relationship.

The Transactional Trap

We all have transactional relationships. I might run into a big box store just to grab deodorant. I don’t love the brand; I don’t engage with it; I just need a thing, and they have it. But what about the brands you genuinely love?

Think about that local coffee shop you go to every week, or maybe the one movie theater chain that just feels like a better experience. They have a connection with you. It’s relational. 

They are making grandma’s cookies, not the mass-produced generic ones at the checkout counter. 

The effort they put in—the way the popcorn pops, the friendly staff, the consistent quality—builds value that goes far beyond a simple purchase.

When you rush to slap “AI Slop” on your windows, you’re telling your audience that you prioritize speed and $0 cost over that relationship. It’s the difference between sending a generic, mass-produced card and taking the time to write a heartfelt, handwritten note. Which one gets a better result?

The Artist as Curator and Craftsman

The technology isn’t the villain here. The villain is the lack of intention.

I saw a great example recently in the music world—a producer who takes famous rock and pop songs and uses AI to reimagine them as soulful, beautiful covers. It’s amazing work. But why is it amazing? Because the producer is acting as a craftsman. 

He’s curating the idea and refining the result. 

“The Professor” Nick Harrison takes the best parts of a song (the melody, the lyrics) and expresses them in a new way that he knows his audience will love. He’s giving them a fresh, interesting experience.

He’s an artist being audience-first.

Even if the technology is doing some heavy lifting, a creative hand is still making the key decisions:

• What idea is worthy of being created?
• How should it be curated?
• Does the final product genuinely provide value?

The human input and innovation is still there, but the tools have changed. If we focus on our audience and the quality of the relationship we want to build, the tools become a way to amplify our craftsmanship. If we don’t, we run the risk of becoming slop creators, simply contributing to a crappier world.

So, here’s a thought: No matter the technology you use, don’t lose that connection you have to what you make. The effort you put into the quality of your brand is the effort you put into the quality of your relationship with your audience.

What do you value more: getting the job done or genuinely reaching the people you want to serve?