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The Conversation
The Conversation
Alfio Leotta, Associate Professor, School of Arts and Media, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

Spectacle, weirdness and novelty: what early cinema tells us about the appeal of ‘AI slop’

Georges Méliès, Story Of Animation/Youtube, The Conversation

Talking monkeys vlogging from sacred sites, three-legged sharks wearing Nike sneakers, babies trapped in space… if you spend any time on social media these days you’re likely to come across such examples of what’s been dubbed “AI slop”.

These short videos are simultaneously flashy, generic and bizarre, characterised by uncanny visuals, robotic voiceovers and nonsensical narratives.

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