In 2024, the word slop was shortlisted as the Oxford Word of the Year, an unmistakable nod to the overwhelming volume of low-quality, AI-generated content flooding the internet.
Like fast food for the eyes, slop is content that’s quick, cheap, and abundant, but often lacks depth, originality, and real value.
As AI tools become a core part of content production (apparently 88% of marketers use it daily for their work), the challenge for brands and agencies is clear: how do we ensure we are not just churning out more content, but producing good content?
At Comtec and Thread, we’ve been working with AI for years, refining our approach, learning its strengths, and confronting its limitations. As Sarah Lewis put it in our recent webinar, “We have to ask ourselves—does this feel authentic? Does this feel real?” AI can generate words, but it cannot replicate human intuition, creativity, and emotional connection.
So where does that leave us? Are we aiming for “good enough” content, or should we be fighting for something better? We explored that in our latest webinar, In defence of quality in AI content creation.
Good AI copy vs. high-quality studio copy
A key takeaway from the webinar was the distinction between good AI copy and high-quality traditional studio copy.
When refined and post-edited, AI-generated content can be perfectly acceptable for certain types of copy, e.g. SEO metadata, PPC ads, e-Commerce product descriptions and factual blog content.
But there are areas where AI simply does not cut it.
Sarah said, “We have to ask ourselves—does this feel authentic? Does this feel real?” AI can generate content, but it can’t replicate the deep emotional and strategic thinking that great human-written copy provides. Advertising copy, luxury brand messaging, and highly creative content filled with nuance and cultural references require human expertise.
This is where strategic AI use comes into play.
AI can be a valuable tool, but only when paired with human oversight. The best results come from human-AI collaboration, where AI streamlines the process while skilled professionals refine, edit, and customise the output.
So what’s a good strategy for AI content creation? A personal view.
A successful AI content strategy isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about creating relevant, impactful, and purposeful content. The key is knowing when and how to use AI.
Human expertise should be involved at every stage, from setting clear brand and quality standards to refining AI-generated content for consistency and authenticity. And we’re finding that AI works best as an assistant rather than a replacement.
As Sarah noted, “Brands are focused on getting more content out, but what if instead of just more, we focused on the right content, reaching the right people?”
The best strategies balance AI efficiency with human oversight. In the real world, this might look like using AI for high-volume tasks like SEO content and metadata, while keeping skilled professionals at the centre of creative and strategic messaging.
Testing and iteration are also key—brands and agencies should experiment with AI, measure its effectiveness and refine their approach based on actual results.
If you want to explore this further, watch the full discussion today. And if you’re curious to check out our other webinars on AI, they’re all recorded and ready to stream anytime.