Let's Eat Billionaire Slop.

*intentional spelling.

Unfortunately, we can do nothing about the quality of that image. Taylor could’ve, though.

But we’re looking at a screen capture of a bad AI video, shared by someone in the SwiftlyNeutral subreddit. When you generate images and videos with AI, there is one thing they tend to get wrong time and again. Words.

It’s not like this was a secret, though; the video included a disclaimer stating that ‘sound and visuals were significantly edited or digitally generated’. But here’s the thing: when Taylor says she’s involved in everything, how does something this sloppy get a pass?

The issue isn’t the AI itself (well, not entirely); it’s the contradiction. The same artist who built an empire on meaning, precision, and ownership is now pushing content that looks… this bad?

The ARG has left a lot of her fans feeling a little uneasy. Objects were disappearing midway through a shot, and more candles magically appeared depending on the frame. Lights multiply. And something about a squirrel-munk-bunny.

The quote that got us talking?

Taylor has said time and again that she has complete creative control and is involved in everything. But many elements of the latest ads, promo, and ARG look largely hands-off. The bad spelling, the shifting items in and out of every scene, seems… rubbish? Not to mention the necklace debacle.

It can’t be that you are so heavily involved and make every decision and are a self-proclaimed perfectionist, but you release such poorly thought-out work - these things don’t make sense when sat side by side. How can you be so deeply into details and meanings, and let a squirrel-munk-bunny slip into your promo? Or, and in so many ways worse, ‘Fate of Ophela’.

But the discussion isn’t solely focused on AI usage. It is about being a billionaire, and instead of paying people, paying artists, something Taylor’s been vocal about for years: artists getting their dues; you pay… Veo 3 or maybe Sora?

Many of the videos featured in YouTube Shorts have been removed, and there doesn’t seem to be a clear reason. Maybe the moment is over, or perhaps the feedback wasn’t as glowing as they had hoped.

Elsewhere, necks are snapping as they try to keep up with the back-and-forth between Suno and the record labels, one moment firing lawsuits, the next best friends. Spotify has gone from supporting to removing back to supporting AI music. Unlabeled AI-generated music is filling platforms, using totally AI-generated ‘band’ images, shorts, and more.

It took us just a couple of minutes to find music self-labeled as ‘mainly AI’. Here is just one example.

Should we be surprised that Taylor is using AI, or just surprised it took her so long?

And, if Taylor can use AI-generated images, littered with mistakes, blur, and nothing of any value, then why can’t every artist do this? The rest of the industry is watching. Will this level of laziness fly? Will we, as music consumers, keep lapping up the loss of skilled and talented professionals and enjoy slop in their place?

So many questions.

What chance do hard-working artists, videographers, graphic designers, and production teams have when AI trash can be generated at a snip of the cost, and quadruple the speed?

Because if this is the new creative standard, the future doesn’t belong to artists. It belongs to prompts. And the most recent nod of approval came from an unlikely source, but maybe, like Thanos, it was inevitable (and yes, we made this gif).

Until next time,