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Welcome, AI enthusiasts
Open YouTube today and there’s a good chance the first things you see were never really “made” in the traditional sense. New data shows just how much AI generated filler is already shaping the default feed and why it’s happening so fast. Let’s dive in!
In today’s insights:
'AI Slop' videos are making millions on YouTube
Meta buys Chinese agentic startup Manus
SoftBank has fully funded $40 billion investment in OpenAI
Read time: 3 minutes
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Source: Kapwing
Evolving AI: New data shows AI generated junk content is flooding YouTube and some of it is making serious money.
Key Points:
Over 20% of Shorts shown to new users are AI generated.
More than half of recommendations are low effort or algorithm driven.
A small group of AI channels are pulling billions of views and millions in revenue.
Details:
A new report from Kapwing looked at what a fresh YouTube account is shown. Of the first 500 Shorts, 21 percent were AI generated and another 33 percent were classified as brainrot, meaning repetitive content built for engagement. More than half of all recommendations fell into low quality categories. Globally, AI slop channels are pulling huge numbers. South Korea leads in total views, followed by Pakistan and the US. Spain stands out for subscribers, driven by channels like Imperio de Jesus. Some of the largest AI channels now have millions of subscribers and generate millions in yearly revenue, showing how well this content fits the algorithm.
Source: Kapwing
Why It Matters:
The bigger shift is that YouTube now rewards speed and volume more than effort. AI makes it easy to flood the system, and Shorts pushes whatever keeps people scrolling, even on brand new accounts. That changes what creators are competing against and what viewers get by default. If nothing changes, the platform slowly fills with content made to please the algorithm first and people second.
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Evolving AI: Meta has agreed to acquire Manus, a fast growing AI startup that went viral with agent demos that handle real tasks. The deal shows where Meta wants AI to go next.
Key Points:
Manus showed AI agents doing hiring, travel planning, and finance work.
Meta is paying about $2 billion for the company.
Politics around China could still shape the outcome.
Details:
Meta is acquiring Manus, an AI startup that drew attention last spring after a demo claimed it beat OpenAI’s Deep Research. Manus raised $75M in April led by Benchmark at a $500M valuation, with backing tied to names like Tencent. By December, Manus said it had millions of users and over $100M in annual recurring revenue. Meta began talks around then and is now paying about $2B. Meta plans to keep Manus independent while bringing its agents into Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Founder ties to China add risk. The parent company started in Beijing before moving to Singapore. US lawmakers like John Cornyn have raised concerns. Meta says Chinese ownership will end and Manus will stop operating in China.
Why It Matters:
Meta buying Manus is a sign the AI race is shifting from flashy demos to paid agents that actually do work and bring in subscription revenue. If Meta threads those agents into Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, distribution gets massive fast, but the startup’s China-linked roots could pull regulators into the story and slow rollout. Either way, big platforms are hunting AI that ships and sells, not just models and data centers.
SOFTBANK & OPENAI
💰 SoftBank has fully funded $40 billion investment in OpenAI
Source: Reuters
Evolving AI: SoftBank has now fully funded its massive investment in OpenAI, closing one of the largest private AI deals ever and locking in its long term bet on AI infrastructure and applications.
Key Points:
SoftBank has completed its $40B commitment to OpenAI.
The deal values OpenAI at about $260B pre money.
A large part of the funding is aimed at AI infrastructure and data centers.
Details:
SoftBank has completed its $40B investment in OpenAI, securing about an 11% stake at a reported $260B pre money valuation. The final payment was sent last week, closing a deal that had been structured to roll out over time. Much of the capital is tied to infrastructure. OpenAI is pouring money into compute and data centers, including its Stargate project with Oracle and SoftBank. To back that push, SoftBank has reshaped its portfolio, selling its remaining Nvidia stake and agreeing to acquire data center company DigitalBridge.
Why It Matters:
SoftBank wiring the last chunk of its $40B check to OpenAI is a sign that the AI race is turning into an infrastructure and ownership race, not just a model race. When one investor can buy an 11% stake and then go scoop up a data center player like DigitalBridge, you can see where the puck is going: power, chips, and capacity. And with OpenAI also lining up big partners and money from places like Disney and possibly Amazon, the center of gravity is shifting toward a small group that can actually fund the compute bill.
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