How AI slop is causing a crisis in computer science

The rise of AI tools has led to an influx of low-quality papers, known as AI slop, in computer science journals and conferences. The 2026 International Conference on Machine Learning received over 24,000 submissions, more than double the previous year, due to increased researcher productivity from AI adoption. However, this surge has made thorough evaluation infeasible and has led to a rise in AI-generated papers with fabrications. To combat this, some conferences have introduced measures such as eligibility checks, submission fees, and requiring authors to review other submissions. The issue poses a threat to the credibility of scientific research in computer science.