Merriam-Webster Names ‘Slop’ as 2023 Word of the Year Amid AI’s Digital Influence
In a striking declaration reflecting the digital landscape shaped by artificial intelligence, Merriam-Webster has announced that “slop” will be recognized as the Word of the Year for 2023. The term is defined as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.” This designation comes as online platforms are inundated with an overwhelming amount of AI-generated material.
Described vividly, slop evokes images of undesirable substances with remarks from Merriam-Webster capturing its essence: “Like slime, sludge, and muck, slop has the wet sound of something you don’t want to touch.” The dictionary explains that in a time of rising AI anxiety, the term embodies a more mocking tone towards the pervasive technology that has become part of everyday life.
Greg Barlow, president of Merriam-Webster, emphasized the illustrative nature of the word. “It’s part of a transformative technology, AI, and it’s something that people have found fascinating, annoying, and a little bit ridiculous,” he stated in an interview with The Associated Press.
The prevalence of “slop” is underscored by the ongoing conversation around AI’s impact on various platforms, with many journalists and commentators using the term to address the changes brought by tools like OpenAI’s Sora and Google Gemini’s Veo. A study from May revealed that nearly 75% of all new web content produced that month involved some form of AI generation.
This influx of low-quality, AI-produced content has introduced what some refer to as a “slop economy,” where overwhelming amounts of digital content are churned out for advertising revenue. Critics have raised concerns about the potential for this trend to deepen divisions within digital communities, as it often results in a stark contrast between high-quality and low-value information accessible to users.
Moreover, the term “slop” extends beyond traditional media, signifying AI’s broad effect across diverse fields such as cybersecurity reports and legal briefings, as well as its utilization in academic essays.
This year has seen tech-related terms thrive among Word of the Year selections. Notably, Macquarie Dictionary opted for “AI slop,” while Oxford Dictionary honored “ragebait,” and Collins Dictionary selected “vibe coding.” The growing prominence of these terms reflects a collective grappling with the complexities of technological advancement in contemporary society.
