Substack CEO Chris Best warns of “AI slop” overwhelming online content

Chris Best, co‑founder and CEO of Substack, says a surge of AI‑generated material is turning into “AI slop” – content that readers cannot trust because its creators have not stood behind it. He defines slop as material that “nobody actually believes in” and warns it acts like a denial‑of‑service attack on the public square, degrading the ability to find genuine information. Best predicts the problem will worsen before solutions emerge, citing that 40 % of long‑form posts on LinkedIn are now fully AI‑written.

In a related interview, journalist Taylor Lorenz discusses her own use of AI tools, spending about $300 a month, and stresses the need for transparency with readers. Lorenz notes, “the more transparency the better,” and says she openly discloses AI assistance to allow audiences to evaluate content in context. Both voices illustrate growing concerns about the spread of unchecked AI content and its impact on credibility, platforms, and business owners.