New study shows brand ads can perform well alongside AI-generated content, challenging industry’s “AI slop” narrative

Zefr, the global leader in brand suitability technology for social platforms, in collaboration with OM Media Trials, today released new research, AI Slop or Not? Navigating the Risks and Opportunities of Ad Adjacency to AI-Generated Content, the industry’s first study to directly measure how advertising performs when placed next to different types of AI-generated content.

The study was conducted by OM Media Trials, a dedicated team within Omnicom Media that leads customized research with media owners and adtech platforms to explore how media impacts consumer decisioning in the age of influence, across both the United States and Canada, enabling a cross-market view of how consumers perceive AI-generated content and brand adjacency.

While most existing research has focused on how brands use AI in creative, this study uniquely examines the real-world impact of ad adjacency to AI content itself, and how consumers respond when brands appear next to a growing range of AI-driven videos and imagery.

The findings challenge the growing tendency to label all AI content as “slop.” Instead, the research demonstrates that there is a meaningful difference between low-quality, deceptive or spam-like AI content and creative, entertaining, or brand-aligned AI experiences.

“AI content is rapidly becoming unavoidable for advertisers, but treating all AI as a single risk category is both inaccurate and limiting,” said Jon Morra, Chief AI Officer at Zefr. “This research shows that some AI environments can drive positive brand outcomes, while others introduce real brand risk. The difference lies in the type of AI content and how it aligns with brand values.”

AI is reshaping what audiences believe is real

Beyond brand safety, the study highlights a deeper challenge facing digital media: consumers are increasingly unsure whether what they see online is real or AI-generated.

In fact, 32% of people mistakenly believe human-created content is AI-generated, and audiences most frequently misidentify AI content involving public figures and sexualized imagery as real.

AI content can deliver positive brand outcomes

AI-generated content is not inherently harmful for brands. Across several AI sub-categories, including satire, humorous youth depictions and creative expression, ad adjacency drove increases in ad recall and perceptions of innovation, demonstrating that some AI environments can enhance brand impact rather than diminish it. This finding is especially important as AI-generated and AI-assisted videos continue to rapidly increase across platforms and as more creators adopt generative tools as part of their everyday content production workflows.

By contrast, negative outcomes were most closely associated with spam-like or misleading AI content and with environments that created uncertainty for viewers.

Consumers draw clear boundaries for brands

Consumers are not neutral on the issue. Eighty-one percent of people say there is at least one type of AI-generated content that is inappropriate for brands to appear next to.

When inappropriate alignment occurs, responsibility is shared across the ecosystem, spanning brands, platforms and content creators.

The study also found that consumers in Canada are more sensitive to brand adjacency with AI-generated content across categories compared to the United States.

Clarity and transparency improve brand outcomes

In addition, the research found that clarity can materially improve consumer response to advertising near AI content. Forty-one percent of consumers say they feel more positive about a brand when AI content is clearly labeled, while trusted creators and transparent use of AI tools further improve brand perceptions.

By contrast, when consumers cannot tell whether content is AI-generated or human-created, brand performance declines across favorability, trust and purchase intent.

“AI content is only going to become more prevalent in the months and years ahead,” said Kara Manatt, EVP of Intelligence Solutions at OM Media Trials. “The solution is not to shut off an entire category of content, but to give brands the control and intelligence to align with the right AI environments, and avoid the ones that create risk.”

To download the full report, visit https://zefr.com/ai-slop-or-not.

Brands can work with Zefr to define their own AI suitability thresholds and apply customized controls that enable them to align with, limit or avoid specific AI content categories based on their unique brand values and risk preferences.

About Zefr

Zefr is the leader in AI-powered content classifications for brands and advertisers. Zefr's platform is purpose built for multi-modal content understanding on open platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Meta and Snap, with pre-bid activation and verification solutions. Our products safeguard media and AI investments, while maximizing performance and efficacy on those channels. Headquartered in Los Angeles with global offices across New York, Chicago, London, Toronto, Singapore, and more, Zefr is redefining what trust and transparency means for social media in the age of AI. To learn more, visit zefr.com.

About OM Media Trials

OM Media Trials is a dedicated research unit within Omnicom Media that partners with media owners and adtech platforms to explore how media and creative impact consumers’ decision-making in the age of influence. By using the latest technology, intelligent tools, and innovative research methods, OM Media Trials quantify the effectiveness and impact of new ad products and marketing strategies, delivering data and insights that can improve performance. And with access to powerful brands through the world’s largest global media management network, this customized research is built on real world campaigns and signals. Learn more about OM Media Trials at transform.omnicommedia.com.

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