YouTube Removes Major “AI Slop” Channels After Study Reveals Billions of Views

Thursday, 29 January 2026 at 03:26

YouTube has begun removing some of the platform’s largest so-called “AI slop” channels following new research highlighting the scale of low-quality, AI-generated content across its ecosystem.

According to updated findings from video creation platform Kapwing, 16 of the top 100 most-subscribed AI slop YouTube channels have now been taken down or wiped of content. That includes two of the five biggest channels in this category, marking one of the clearest signs yet that YouTube is stepping up enforcement.

Billions of Views, Millions in Revenue

The removed channels were not small operations. Combined, they accounted for:

4.72 billion total views
35 million subscribers
An estimated $9.78 million in annual earnings

These numbers show that low-quality AI videos were not just filling people’s feeds. They had become a big money-making part of YouTube. Kapwing’s earlier research looked at trending channels around the world and found many networks making what it calls “AI slop” or “brainrot” content. These videos are usually repetitive, very low effort, and often made fully or mostly with AI. The goal is to get clicks and views, not to make good or original content.

YouTube Acknowledges the Problem

The removals come shortly after YouTube CEO Neal Mohan addressed the issue in his annual letter, noting that AI has made it “harder to detect what’s real and what’s AI-generated.” He acknowledged concerns around low-quality AI content and said YouTube is expanding systems previously used to combat spam and clickbait to reduce repetitive, low-value uploads. The timing suggests YouTube is moving from acknowledgment to action.

In fact, it seems that the whole Alphabet conglomerate will soon crackdown AI generated low-effort content that is taking attention away from carefully-created content. When it comes to articles, Google will soon inform readers if an article is human or AI-generated.

A Widespread Content Flood

Kapwing’s broader analysis indicates the issue may extend well beyond a few channels. In a test of a fresh YouTube account, researchers found that 21% to 33% of Shorts shown in a 500-video sample qualified as AI slop or brainrot-style content. That points to algorithmic amplification playing a key role in the trend’s growth.

The now-removed channels were based across multiple countries, including the U.S., Spain, Indonesia, and others, underlining that the phenomenon is global rather than localized.

A Turning Point?

Liam Curtis, Content Strategist at Kapwing, described the removals as potentially significant.

He said the deletion of two of the five largest AI slop channels could represent a turning point in YouTube’s approach, adding that these networks had previously generated billions of views and millions in estimated revenue. Their removal suggests YouTube may finally be acting against content that risks overwhelming the platform’s creator ecosystem.

Curtis also raised a broader concern: the same AI tools driving the volume of low-quality videos can reinforce bias. Kapwing’s separate AI Diversity Report found that AI systems often depict CEOs as men and overrepresent white people in high-paying roles, highlighting that the issue is not just about production value but also about representation.

Key Points

YouTube removed 16 of the top 100 AI “slop” channels, including two of the five largest.
The deleted channels had 4.72B views, 35M subscribers, and about $9.78M in yearly earnings.
This shows that low-quality AI content has become a major monetized segment.
The move follows YouTube CEO Neal Mohan’s pledge to curb low-value AI uploads.
Kapwing found 21–33% of Shorts in a test feed qualified as AI slop or brainrot content.
Researchers say the crackdown could mark a turning point in AI content enforcement.
The key question: ongoing policy shift or one-time cleanup?

What Comes Next

The big question is whether this is the start of real, long-term action or just a small cleanup. If YouTube keeps pushing, it could change how AI-made videos earn money and get promoted. Other platforms dealing with the same flood of low-effort, automated content might follow. For now, removing big channels that made a lot of money shows that YouTube may finally be testing limits on AI slop.