Inteligencia Artificial (IA)
Jesus Generated with AI: Shrimp, Bees, or French Omelette? The Truth Behind the Viral Images on Facebook
Gianro Compagno
2025-12-18
5 min read
The phenomenon known as "AI slop" —low-quality content generated by artificial intelligence— has spread on social media platforms like Facebook. Notable examples include images of Jesus, smiling children creating sculptures or cakes, and other similar scenes, all produced by AI. These posts typically have a clear goal: to monetize through advertising, redirect users to ad-filled sites, or even to fraudulent pages that seek to steal data or sell non-existent products. The proliferation of this type of content not only affects the quality of the experience on the platform but also contributes to a process of digital degradation, known as "shittification," where services lose utility for users.
According to research published in Misinformation Review, the most common themes in AI slop are images of cabins, children, carved wooden figures, and representations of Jesus Christ. These images are often accompanied by emotional or grandiose messages designed to generate empathy and increase interaction. However, many users do not recognize that these are synthetic creations, as evidenced by comments of gratitude and expressions like "Amen" on the posts. Experts emphasize the need for improved labeling and transparency so that users can identify the artificial origin of these contents.
Although Meta, Facebook's parent company, has labeling systems for AI-generated content, most of the analyzed images lack the "AI Information" label, and only a few have been marked as "False Information." The research indicates that Facebook's algorithm tends to promote this type of image, even to users who do not follow the pages that publish them, likely because they generate high levels of interaction.
The main goal of these pages is to increase their follower count and, consequently, interactions and revenue from advertising or subscriptions. Other administrators seek to lure users away from Facebook using clickbait techniques, leading them to content farms or low-quality sites filled with ads, where each visit translates into income. Additionally, some of these pages are used for scams, selling non-existent products or collecting personal data.
The massive presence of AI slop, especially strange images of Jesus, contributes to the saturation of irrelevant content and makes it difficult for users to find valuable information. As journalists Alex Hern and Dan Milmo note in The Guardian, the time users waste scrolling through this type of content far exceeds the benefits gained by those who generate it.
According to experts, artificial intelligence accelerates the process of "shittification" of digital platforms, a term coined by Cory Doctorow to describe how services deteriorate to the point of becoming useless. "AI allows this process to happen faster and on a larger scale," explains journalist Mar Carpena to Maldita.es.