A group of filmmakers, commercial directors, and AI industry influencers gathered at the Runway AI Summit in New York City, where Rob Wrubel of ad firm Silverside promoted Coca-Cola's AI-generated 2025 Holiday Caravan ad, which was widely criticized for its poor quality. In response to the backlash against AI-generated content, many artists and creatives are embracing an aesthetic called 'anti-slop,' which celebrates handmade, janky, and primitive design as a rejection of AI's slick, uncanny output. Examples include Michael Schmelling's scribbly book covers for Roberto Bolaño reissues and Stoopid Buddy Stoodios' stop-motion Green Bay Packers ad.
This movement matters because it represents a growing cultural backlash against the rapid integration of AI into creative industries, raising questions about labor, copyright, and artistic authenticity. By championing conspicuously handmade and imperfect work, artists are asserting the value of human craftsmanship and pushing back against AI's perceived threat to creative livelihoods and originality.