Polish Creator Earns $37,282 in 1 Month From 296 Viral A.I. Slop Videos
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 1
Polish Creator Earns $37,282 in 1 Month From 296 Viral A.I. Slop Videos
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 1
$37,281.94 was paid to Norbert Barszczewski for March after he posted 296 short A.I.-generated videos through Affiliate Network, according to a screenshot he shared on the company’s Discord.
Millions of views followed when the Polish creator stopped mimicking human-made clips and instead built absurd new characters like Tung Tung Tung Amir for an ad campaign promoting an A.I. video platform; one “girlfriend” video topped 1.7 million views.
Affiliate Network pays roughly $2 per 1,000 views, recruits creators to run anonymous TikTok and Instagram accounts, and now has more than 200,000 sign-ups, though founder Roman Khaves said the top 10% of creators take 90% of the money.
The model reflects a broader shift in online advertising: algorithm-driven feeds reward cheap, mass-produced A.I. “slop” that blurs entertainment and marketing, even as critics warn about attention erosion and deceptive promotion.
With AI flooding kids' media, are we sacrificing child development for cheap entertainment and ad revenue?
As AI automates virality, what happens to human creativity when engagement is the only metric that matters?
From Polexit to Platform Overload: The Global Impact of 1.3 Billion AI-Generated Videos on Trust and Democracy
Overview
In late 2025, Poland faced a sophisticated disinformation campaign promoting 'Polexit,' the idea of leaving the EU. This campaign used AI-generated content, known as 'AI slop,' to create persuasive videos aimed at young people on TikTok. As public support for Polexit grew—reaching 25% overall and 43% among right-wing opposition supporters—these AI-driven videos flooded social media, making it harder to detect and stop the spread of false information. The surge in support provided fertile ground for these influence operations, highlighting how AI can be used as a powerful political weapon.