TAG/ANA Analysis Quantifies "AI Slop" in Digital Ad Supply Chain
A new analysis by TAG and ANA has quantified "AI slop" at 1.3%-2.4% of open web programmatic ad spend. This figure is comparable to Made for Advertising (MFA) traffic.
The Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) and the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) have, for the first time, quantified the amount of "AI slop" present in the digital advertising supply chain. The analysis, part of the ANA's Programmatic Transparency Benchmark Initiative, found that "AI slop" constitutes 1.3% to 2.4% of all open web programmatic ad spend.
This level of "AI slop" is comparable to the volume of what is known as Made for Advertising (MFA) traffic. MFA sites are typically characterized by their focus on maximizing ad revenue through high ad density, often at the expense of meaningful content or user experience, and have previously been identified as a significant source of inefficiency and fraud.
"AI slop" refers to ad impressions that are automatically generated without providing real value to advertisers or consumers. This emerging category highlights the challenges posed by the increasing use of artificial intelligence in content creation and ad campaign automation within the digital advertising ecosystem.
The initiative aims to bring greater transparency to the complex digital advertising supply chain, which involves numerous intermediaries. By measuring phenomena like "AI slop" and MFA traffic, TAG and ANA seek to identify and reduce waste, thereby improving the effectiveness and integrity of ad spending.
TAG is a global initiative focused on improving trust and accountability in the advertising industry. The ANA is a U.S.-based trade association representing marketers.