The title of my blog post and video is, why AI slop is killing online communities. In this post, I want to talk about something that is becoming painfully obvious across the internet: AI slop is killing online communities.
I’m not saying that to be dramatic. I’m saying it because I spend a lot of time inside online forums and communities, and I’ve watched the quality of conversation decline as more and more people outsource their thinking to AI.
And before anyone misunderstands me, I’m not anti-AI. I use AI regularly. I’ve even written about that in detail here: I use AI every day – but here’s the problem.
The issue isn’t AI itself. The issue is low-effort AI content that looks polished but says almost nothing. It’s the online equivalent of fast food: it fills space, but it doesn’t nourish anyone.
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What I Mean By “AI Slop”
AI slop is content that is created primarily to look like content.
It often has:
- Generic statements that could apply to anyone
- Overly “clean” writing with no personality
- Encouraging comments that don’t actually respond to what was said
- Very little lived experience or real detail
- No risk, no opinion, no story, no edge
If you’ve ever read something and thought, “This sounds fine… but it doesn’t feel real,” you’ve probably just read AI slop.
I’ve also written a separate post that goes deeper into why this type of content is failing (and why genuine creators will win long-term): Why AI slop doesn’t work anymore.
Why This Matters For Communities
Online communities thrive on something AI cannot replace: real human experience.
People join communities because they want:
- To learn from others who are doing the thing
- To share wins and struggles with real people
- To get feedback from someone who has actually been there
- To feel connected and understood
But when posts and comments become automated, the “community” becomes a content factory.
It turns into a place where people post to get attention, get points, get “likes,” or get platform rewards — rather than to help people and build relationships.
And once that happens, the community starts feeling empty.
My Example: Wealthy Affiliate
One of the communities I’ve been part of for a long time is Wealthy Affiliate. I’m currently in my 12th year as a member.
To be clear: I still believe Wealthy Affiliate is a great platform. The training is excellent, the structure is solid, and there is always something to learn. I’ve explained why I’ve stayed so long in this post: Why I Have Stayed At Wealthy Affiliate For 11 Years.
The problem I’m highlighting here isn’t the training.
The problem is what has happened to the community blog content and the comments.
Success Stories Used To Feel Real
Wealthy Affiliate has always had a “Success Stories” area where people share what’s working, what they’ve earned, what they’ve learned, and what they struggled with.
Years ago, these posts had personality. You could sense a real human behind the words. Even if you didn’t agree with someone, it was still valuable because it came from experience.
I saved many of those posts over the years because they were worth referring back to.
Now It’s Often AI Writing And AI Comments
These days, a lot of what I see is very different.
You’ll see an AI-generated post… and then a stream of AI-generated comments underneath it.
Things like:
- “This is amazing, thanks for sharing!”
- “Great post, very motivating!”
- “I love this idea, keep it up!”
There’s no real engagement. No follow-up. No thoughtful response. No “here’s what I tried” or “here’s my experience.”
It becomes an artificial feedback loop: automated content getting automated praise.
And if nobody is thinking, nobody is growing.
“Faceless Sites” And “Letting AI Do The Heavy Lifting”
Another angle that is gaining popularity is the idea of building “faceless” sites where you don’t need a voice, you don’t need a story, and you don’t need any real experience — because AI can do the heavy lifting.
It sounds appealing on the surface, but in most cases it doesn’t work long-term.
Why?
- Because audiences can tell when content is empty
- Because trust is built through real experience
- Because authority comes from clarity and originality
- Because AI content is easy to mass-produce, which means it becomes disposable
In other words, if everyone can produce the same type of content, then nobody stands out.
Google Knows, And Readers Know Too
This isn’t just a “community” issue. It affects your results.
Google is constantly improving how it evaluates quality. Readers are also getting tired of content that looks good but doesn’t help them.
That’s why many people who rely heavily on AI are finding their content doesn’t perform the way they hoped.
People spend time reading content that feels worth their time.
And “worth their time” almost always means:
- Specific
- Useful
- Personal
- Experience-based
- Clear and practical
Where AI Can Actually Help (Without Replacing You)
I’m not saying “don’t use AI.” I’m saying “don’t let AI replace you.”
Used properly, AI can help with:
- Generating ideas and angles
- Creating outlines
- Improving clarity
- Fixing spelling and grammar
- Making your writing more readable
But the raw material should still be you: your judgement, your experience, your story, your opinion, your process.
If you’re on Wealthy Affiliate, it’s also worth understanding the tools they provide and how to use them wisely: Wealthy Affiliate Tools Explained.
A Better Approach: Document Your Journey
If you want to build a real online presence, here’s the approach I recommend:
- Write what you are actually doing
- Share what you are learning (even if it’s messy)
- Explain what worked and what didn’t
- Be honest about your results
- Let your personality come through
Everyone has a story, and everyone’s journey is different.
That is the advantage you have over AI.
If You Want To Try Wealthy Affiliate
Despite my concerns about how some people are using AI inside the community, I still believe Wealthy Affiliate is worth considering for the training.
If you want to test it for yourself, I always recommend starting with a free account first and exploring the platform properly before upgrading: How To Start A Free Account At Wealthy Affiliate.
You can upgrade later if it fits the way you work. There’s no pressure.
Final Thoughts
AI can assist us. But when it replaces real thought, real experience, and real conversation, communities lose their value.
If you want to stand out online today, don’t produce more content. Produce more truth.
Use your brain. Be your unique self. Write from experience. And if you use AI, use it as a tool — not as your voice.
If you have thoughts on this, I’d love to hear them. Do you think AI slop is harming online communities? Or do you think it’s simply the future?