AI Slop Floods Sci-Fi Submissions

AI Slop Floods Sci-Fi Submissions:

Clarkesworld Magazine Battles Fake Stories

Editors of Sci-Fi Magazine Disgusted as AI Slop Floods Submissions

Human Creativity vs Machine-Generated Spam in the Literary World

Clarkesworld Magazine shut down submissions due to a surge in AI-generated spam. Discover how fake fiction threatens real writers and how editors are fighting back.

Clarkesworld, a respected online fantasy and science fiction magazine, is drowning in AI-generated garbage. And the editors are fed up.

The problem began subtly. Around late 2022 just as OpenAI launched ChatGPT Neil Clarke, the magazine’s founder, noticed something strange about the submissions his publication received.

By early 2023, the situation had spiraled out of control. Clarke had no choice but to shut down submissions entirely.

“We had reached the point where we were on track to receive as many generated submissions as legitimate ones,” Clarke told New York Magazine.

AI Slop Takes Over the Internet

Clarkesworld’s case isn’t unique. A wave of “AI slop” a term for low-effort content mass-produced by large language models has flooded the internet. These spammy creations range from fake product reviews and AI-written academic papers to articles on once-credible websites published under fake names.

Even Amazon’s book marketplace hasn’t been spared. AI-generated novels have overrun the platform, creating a sea of meaningless fiction and pushing legitimate authors into obscurity.

Small Publishers Suffer the Most

This rising flood of synthetic content has hit independent and niche platforms the hardest. Small magazines like Clarkesworld rely on genuine, human creativity. But when overwhelmed by spam, they can’t maintain the same editorial standards.

Fortunately, Clarke fought back. With help from volunteers, he developed a basic but effective spam filter, which currently keeps most AI submissions out.

Still, the problem hasn’t gone away.

The Influencer Economy Fuels the Problem

Why are people submitting AI content to literary magazines? Clarke believes it’s part of a wider “influencer economy.” On platforms like YouTube and TikTok, content creators promise easy money using tools like ChatGPT.

“People are waving a bunch of money on social media and saying, ‘Oh, you can make money with ChatGPT by doing this,’” Clarke said. That mindset encourages mass submissions of AI-generated content even to markets like short fiction where it doesn’t belong.

Some scammers go further. They build AI-generated websites, optimize them for Google search, and fill them with ads. Others publish AI-written books and resell them on Amazon in hardcover, hoping to make a quick buck.

The Future of Short Fiction at Risk?

Clarkesworld’s spam filter is holding the line for now. But Clarke remains concerned.

In a blog post from February 2023 titled “A Concerning Trend,” he wrote:

“It’s clear that business as usual won’t be sustainable. If the field can’t find a way to address this situation, things will begin to break. No, it’s not the death of short fiction… but it is going to complicate things.”

As AI tools become more accessible, platforms dedicated to genuine storytelling and creativity must adapt or risk being buried in noise. The industry needs sustainable solutions before artificial content overwhelms real voices.

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