A.I. Slop
04/22/25 • 51 min
In this episode of Ad Infinitum, host Stew Redwine is joined by commercial director Jordan Brady and Amplifi Media CEO and NYU professor Steven Goldstein to confront a fast-growing threat in the world of advertising: AI Slop.
Used by Steven in a blog post earlier this year, “AI Slop” refers to the dull, generic content flooding our feeds—fueled by AI tools used without intention or craft. This episode pulls back the curtain on how these tools are transforming creative work—for better and worse.
With the rise of “invisible minivans” (not Lamborghinis), Stew and his guests dig into how AI is flattening creativity, the steep cost of sounding like everyone else, and what marketers need to do to protect emotional resonance and brand authenticity in audio.
You’ll hear:
🤖 What “AI Slop” is—and how to spot it in the wild
💸 Why boring ads are the most expensive kind to make
🎙️ How the human touch is disappearing from podcast ads
🧠 When AI is helpful—and when it becomes a creative shortcut
📉 What happens when audio loses its nuance, and how to fight back
Stew, Jordan, and Steven put four of the top commercial radio ads through the Ad Infinitum wringer—grading each on persuasion, production, and sonic distinctiveness:
- Progressive: A 10-second “riddle” spot that lacked flair and fell flat—proof that brevity doesn’t guarantee brilliance.
- Verizon: A $50/month deal with an attempt at a clever hook (“cheaper than your dog’s glam squad”) and zero memorability.
- AT&T: A 60-second travel-themed ad that waited 46 seconds to mention the brand. Result? $155K in wasted media dollars.
- Cricket: The surprise winner. With early branding, relatable benefits, and lively sonic branding, it scored highest across the board—an example of simple, effective, human-sounding creative.
The verdict? You don’t need AI to sound robotic—humans are making boring
Real Talk About MarketingAn Acxiom podcast where we discuss marketing made better, bringing you real...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Everyday AI: Your daily guide to grown with Generative AICan't keep up with AI? We've got you. Everyday AI helps you keep up and get ahead.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn.
In this episode of Ad Infinitum, host Stew Redwine is joined by commercial director Jordan Brady and Amplifi Media CEO and NYU professor Steven Goldstein to confront a fast-growing threat in the world of advertising: AI Slop.
Used by Steven in a blog post earlier this year, “AI Slop” refers to the dull, generic content flooding our feeds—fueled by AI tools used without intention or craft. This episode pulls back the curtain on how these tools are transforming creative work—for better and worse.
With the rise of “invisible minivans” (not Lamborghinis), Stew and his guests dig into how AI is flattening creativity, the steep cost of sounding like everyone else, and what marketers need to do to protect emotional resonance and brand authenticity in audio.
You’ll hear:
🤖 What “AI Slop” is—and how to spot it in the wild
💸 Why boring ads are the most expensive kind to make
🎙️ How the human touch is disappearing from podcast ads
🧠 When AI is helpful—and when it becomes a creative shortcut
📉 What happens when audio loses its nuance, and how to fight back
Stew, Jordan, and Steven put four of the top commercial radio ads through the Ad Infinitum wringer—grading each on persuasion, production, and sonic distinctiveness:
- Progressive: A 10-second “riddle” spot that lacked flair and fell flat—proof that brevity doesn’t guarantee brilliance.
- Verizon: A $50/month deal with an attempt at a clever hook (“cheaper than your dog’s glam squad”) and zero memorability.
- AT&T: A 60-second travel-themed ad that waited 46 seconds to mention the brand. Result? $155K in wasted media dollars.
- Cricket: The surprise winner. With early branding, relatable benefits, and lively sonic branding, it scored highest across the board—an example of simple, effective, human-sounding creative.
The verdict? You don’t need AI to sound robotic—humans are making boring
Real Talk About MarketingAn Acxiom podcast where we discuss marketing made better, bringing you real...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Everyday AI: Your daily guide to grown with Generative AICan't keep up with AI? We've got you. Everyday AI helps you keep up and get ahead.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn.
Previous Episode
Avenging Audio: Podcast Movement Evolutions 2025
In this special live episode of Ad Infinitum - brought to you by Sounds Profitable - host Stew Redwine assembles the Audio Avengers—Arielle Nissenblatt (Earbuds Podcast Collective, Pinwheel), Adam McNeil (Adopter Media), Amelia Coomber (Podscribe), and Paul Riismandel (Signal Hill Insights)—for an unfiltered, in-person conversation recorded at the Sounds Profitable Lounge at Podcast Movement Evolutions 2025 in Chicago.
Together, they tackle one of the industry’s most pressing (and polarizing) topics: the rise of video podcasting and what it means for creators, advertisers, and the future of audio. With YouTube’s RSS support and increasing pressure for creators to “be on video,” the group wrestles with where the medium is headed—and whether we’re entering a new era or still navigating the wild west.
From reflections on the evolution of Podcast Movement to hot takes on panel fatigue, discoverability, monetization, and how to actually serve creators, brands, and audiences better—the Audio Avengers bring real talk and practical ideas from across the podcasting ecosystem.
You’ll hear:
🎥 Why video is not a threat—but a tool (if used intentionally)
🎙️ How podcasting can grow without losing its audio soul
🧠 What’s broken about industry conferences—and how to fix them
🔁 Why the conversation around podcast advertising still feels stuck
💡 And how we can better align stakeholders—brands, creators, and listeners—to build a more vibrant future
This episode isn’t about buzzwords. It’s about what’s actually working, what’s not, and what the people shaping the future of podcasting want to change.
Whether you're a Chief Audio Officer, podcaster, marketer, or just audio curious—you'll want to hear what the Audio Avengers say.
An Acxiom podcast where we discuss marketing made better, bringing you real...
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn.
Next Episode
The Sound of Falling
In this brief bonus episode of Ad Infinitum, Stew Redwine shares a short audio story created for the Twenty Thousand Hertz “Sound Off” competition.
“The Sound of Falling” features original 1980s tape recordings of Stew’s grandfather, Herold Redwine, recounting his harrowing experience of being shot down in WWII, parachuting from a burning B-17, surviving as a prisoner of war in Stalag Luft VI, and enduring the brutal 68-day “Black March.” With audio production by Zach Hahn and sound design by John Mattaliano, the piece blends archival family audio and cinematic sound to capture the silence, fear, and resilience of a man who lived through the unimaginable.
Stew reflects on the power of preserving family stories and encourages listeners to do the same.
Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and sound designed by John Mattaliano, with audio production by Zach Hahn.
Ad Infinitum - A.I. Slop
Transcript
Stew Redwine (00:00):
This is Add Infinitum.
(00:18):
Add Infinitum is the award-winning podcast solely focused on audio ads, the creatives who make them and or the latest thinking that informs them how the space is evolving. And my favorite part, a roundup of recent audio ads with Analysis by yours truly, stew Redwine, and each episode's guest. This is season three, episode five, and today we're diving into a growing problem and an opportunity, one that's not just a creative issue, b
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