Indian YouTube channel Bandar Apna Dost leads the world's highest-earning AI slop channels

Turns out AI slop is a bigger deal than we all thought. Artificial intelligence is quietly reshaping what millions of people see on YouTube every day. A recent study has found that a significant share of videos recommended on the platform are now created almost entirely using AI tools. These videos, often referred to as “AI slop,” prioritise volume and virality and are proving to be highly profitable.

Indian YouTube channel ‘Bandar Apna Dost’ is most viewed globally, with 2.07 billion views

One of the most successful examples of this trend is an India-based channel called Bandar Apna Dost which is built around AI-animated monkey characters placed in exaggerated or absurd situations. It holds the record for total views, with 2.07 billion across its AI-generated uploads. It’s also the most profitable since it earns an estimated $4.25 million per year.

The research was conducted by video editing company Kapwing, which created a brand-new YouTube account to study the kind of videos the platform recommends to first-time users. When the team examined the first 500 Shorts suggested by YouTube, they found that 104 of them were produced using AI, they accounted for roughly 21 per cent of all recommendations.

A further 33 per cent were labelled as “brainrot” content, videos that rely on repetition and minimal effort, designed solely to maximise viewer engagement.

Kapwing also reviewed the top 100 trending YouTube channels in each country to determine how many were primarily powered by AI-generated content.

The largest AI-generated content channel globally is based in the United States. A channel called Cuentos Facinantes (spelled as such) leads the category with 5.95 million subscribers, just ahead of Imperio de Jesus. Its AI-created videos, drawing heavily from Dragon Ball Z-style animation, have accumulated billions of views, surpassing the reach of many conventional, human-led creators.

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan has consistently voiced support for the platform’s growing reliance on artificial intelligence. He argues that AI tools lower the barriers to entry, allowing people without advanced technical knowledge or production resources to create and share videos.

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