Generative AI drives rise of slopaganda and physical infrastructure race

The rise of generative artificial intelligence is driving two distinct shifts in the global landscape: the emergence of new propaganda methods and a massive expansion of physical industrial infrastructure.

Researchers Michał Klincewicz, Mark Alfano, and Amir Ebrahimi Fard have identified a phenomenon termed ‘slopaganda.’ This term combines ‘slop’—referring to low-quality, mass-produced AI content—with ‘propaganda.’ Slopaganda is used to flood newsfeeds to overshadow credible reporting and manipulate public belief and emotion. One noted example includes the use of Lego-themed social media posts by Iran to attempt to soften the regime's global image.

Simultaneously, the generative AI boom is forcing a transition in the tech industry from asset-light software models to heavy industrial expansion. Unlike traditional software, AI requires immense physical resources, including minerals, microchips, data centers, energy, and water. This has triggered a massive race for capital and control, as tech giants and nation-states invest billions into the physical architecture required to train and run large-scale models.