ISD flags 'slop jihad': ISIS fans wield gen AI on TikTok

A SpongeBob SquarePants clip circulating on TikTok shows fish in orange jumpsuits locked inside a cage as SpongeBob lowers them into the water and Squidward films — a cartoon remake of an Islamic State execution video from more than a decade ago.

The clip is one of a wave of AI-generated fan edits, cartoons, and memes that supporters of groups like ISIS and al-Qaida are pushing out, according to a report from the Institute of Strategic Dialogue that was shared exclusively with Wired. The report, described by Wired, calls the phenomenon "Slop Jihad" and says the shift "signals a fundamental transformation in the aesthetics of jihadist propaganda online." Three experts in our directory have shared the piece.

Animated versions of SpongeBob and Rick Sanchez, alongside popular YouTubers like PewDiePie and MrBeast, can be heard on the clips singing battle nasheeds, the Islamic vocal music traditionally used to motivate warriors in combat.

"Highly stylized AI-generated content can make violent Islamist extremist material more accessible to younger audiences while reducing the visibility of conventional terrorist branding," said Adam Hadley, executive director of the UN-backed Tech Against Terrorism. His principal concern, he told Wired, is "the growing volume and diversity of material."