"Across the internet, eagle-eyed sleuths are crying " AI slop" after Saturday Night Live aired segments with what looks like AI-generated imagery. The first instance, from Saturday's cold open, shows an illustrated Christmas storybook. The images feature a hazy, yellow-ish hue and an image of streets that don't connect. The next, in "Weekend Update" showed an image of a woman playing a slot machine in an otherwise empty casino while using an oxygen tank with tubes that weren't connected."
"AI fatigue is real, and the accusations against Saturday's episode landed amid a wider conversation about AI-generated media. McDonalds Netherlands pulled an AI-generated ad from its YouTube page last week following widespread negative comments. Meanwhile, the studio behind Coca-Cola's widely criticized new AI-generated holiday ad admitted it wasn't 100% ready. Merriam-Webster on Sunday named "slop" its 2025 word of the year."
"Merriam-Webster on Sunday named "slop" its 2025 word of the year. Slop in an ad is one thing. But slop on a show like SNL strikes a nerve considering how well known the long-running show is for its intricate human-made sets and costuming. This is a show made by hand, and the janky Photoshop jobs during Weekend Update are part of the joke."
Saturday Night Live aired brief segments containing images that many viewers believe are AI-generated, prompting online backlash. One image set depicted an illustrated Christmas storybook with hazy, yellowish hues and disconnected streets. Another showed a woman using an oxygen tank with unattached tubes while playing a slot machine in an empty casino. Viewers described the images as "gross" and shameful on Reddit and other platforms. The controversy occurred amid broader concerns about AI-generated media, with brands like McDonald's Netherlands and Coca-Cola facing criticism for AI ads. NBC has not confirmed the origin of the images.
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