"Consider how the online platforms for which newsrooms rely on for an already-shrinking number of clicks are already flooded with AI-generated content. Facebook, which has long since turned off the algorithmic firehose that propelled upstart digital media companies at the start of my career in the early 2010s, regularly sees AI slop generate hundreds of millions of engagements. Pinterest users have grown so frustrated with recommendations dominated by AI slop, the company recently added an optional setting to help people see less AI-made content."
"AI may be even more prevalent on text-based platforms. The amount of AI-generated content on Medium rose from less than 2 percent to 37 percent between 2022 and 2024, according to a paper published this year. More than half of long posts on LinkedIn were written with the help of AI, according to another study that found there's been a nearly 200 percent increase in AI-written posts on the platform overall."
AI-generated content is proliferating across major online platforms, crowding feeds and reducing visibility for original journalism. Facebook regularly sees AI-generated posts generate hundreds of millions of engagements, and Pinterest added an optional setting to reduce AI-made recommendations. On text platforms, Medium's AI-generated share rose from under 2 percent to 37 percent between 2022 and 2024, and more than half of long LinkedIn posts were written with AI assistance, with nearly a 200 percent overall increase. YouTube hosts tutorials teaching automated AI content creation, and improved tools from major companies lower barriers to mass AI content production, worsening distribution and monetization challenges for newsrooms.
Read at Nieman Lab
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