Singapore – In APAC, more than half (51%) of consumers now recognise “AI slop” in social media feeds and brand replies, setting a high bar for content quality and showing little tolerance for lazy automation, according to a report by Klaviyo.
About 30% of the APAC population now uses AI several times a week—higher than in the US (26%) and Europe (27%). However, this widespread adoption has also coincided with growing scepticism toward AI-generated content. Only 5% of shoppers in the region say they fully trust brand content created by AI, compared with 12% in the US and 16% in Europe.
The findings also point to growing confusion around AI-generated material. According to the report, 63% of shoppers in APAC say they have previously mistaken human-written content for AI.
The report notes that the proliferation of so-called “AI slop”—low-quality, mass-produced automated content—is emerging as a significant threat to brand trust as generative AI tools become more widely used in marketing and communications.
However, despite growing scepticism, AI is increasingly influencing purchase decisions. The report found that 78% of shoppers in APAC have used AI tools to compare brands or seek product recommendations. The trend is particularly evident in the electronics category, cited by 66% of respondents, while men were 35% more likely than women to have purchased a product recommended by an AI tool.
Marcus Rossato, head of marketing for APJ at Klaviyo, said, “The honeymoon phase with AI is officially over for shoppers across Asia Pacific. Although consumers in the region lead the world in AI adoption, they have one of the highest bars for authenticity. For younger audiences and daily users, generic AI content isn’t just ineffective — it actively damages brand equity.
“What our data shows is that brands must move beyond using AI for mere efficiency and toward using it for emotion. The opportunity for brands in 2026 is not to scale content faster but to scale usefulness. In a world of automated noise, the brands that maintain a human connection will be the ones that survive the slop era,” he added.
The findings come as Singapore continues to prioritise AI development. Under the country’s 2026 budget, the government has committed more than S$1b towards AI infrastructure, talent development, and adoption through 2030, alongside the establishment of a National AI Council to guide strategy.
The investment comes amid rising public concern around deepfakes and large-scale content farms, highlighting the balance policymakers face between accelerating AI adoption and ensuring safeguards that protect public trust.
