AI slop recipes are taking over the internet — and Thanksgiving dinner
Fortune·2025-11-26 16:53

Core Insights - The rise of AI-generated content is significantly impacting food bloggers, leading to a decline in web traffic and revenue as consumers increasingly trust AI-generated recipes over traditional ones [2][3][10] Impact on Traffic and Revenue - Food bloggers report drastic declines in traffic, with some experiencing drops of up to 80% in revenue due to AI-generated content taking precedence in search results [10][24] - Specific examples include a 40% year-over-year decline in traffic for a turkey recipe and a 30% drop in Google traffic for a German recipe blog [2][18] Quality and Accuracy Concerns - AI-generated recipes often contain inaccuracies, leading to potential cooking disasters for consumers, as seen in examples where incorrect cooking times and methods are provided [2][6] - Bloggers express concerns that AI cannot replicate the real-life testing of recipes, which undermines the trustworthiness of the content [5][6] Content Visibility and Competition - AI-generated content is flooding platforms like Pinterest and Facebook, pushing down the visibility of vetted recipes from human creators [4][18] - Many bloggers have noted that their original recipes are being copied and altered by AI, leading to confusion among consumers and further diminishing their traffic [20][23] Platform Responses - Companies like Google and Pinterest acknowledge the changes but emphasize that their AI tools are meant to supplement human creativity rather than replace it [8][25] - Despite these claims, food bloggers feel that the algorithms favor AI-generated content, making it difficult for original creators to gain visibility [24][26] Long-term Implications - The shift towards AI-generated content raises existential concerns for food bloggers about the future of their businesses and the authenticity of culinary knowledge shared online [26] - There is a fear that if content creators abandon their platforms due to declining traffic, the quality of available recipes will deteriorate further, leading to a cycle where AI-generated content becomes the primary source of cooking information [10][26]