How to do it:

There are a number of tells for ai slop, but they change regularly. While they’re worth familiarity, a more robust approach is to actively seek and vet known-real sources of positive stories. Here are some things to look for:

• Is there an identified person, location or real organization associated with the source?
• Does the about information claim to be real, and is it plausible? (Many slop accounts say so up front, or have a disclaimer about the stories being inspired, not real.)
• Do they have similar content prior to 2023?
• Is the artwork real AND appropriate to the story?
• If the story is about a famous person, are there news stories corroborating it?

Once you find reliable sources, boost and share them. Help them compete with the onslaught of cheap potato-chip fake feel-good online.

Sources we’ve vetted:

• The Pongo fund is a Portland area volunteer-run group that feeds animals whose owners have fallen on hard times. They do so much more, and their founder is a gifted storyteller. Follow them on social media, or visit the web site blog for uplifting 100% real stories that deal with the gritty realities of volunteer work. https://www.thepongofund.org/
• Fix the News is “a weekly dose of reliable reporting on how the world is quietly getting better. In production since 2013 they promise to fact-check carefully and focus on a more news-oriented style of composition.
• The Good News Network has been highlighting positive stories since 1997. They include feel-good and silly stories, along with lighthearted news stories, and have confirmed they “don’t use AI, ever.”
• Positive News is old enough it still has a quarterly print option. A co-op of writers and readers, it claims to “join… the dots between how people, communities and organizations are changing the world for the better.”
• Chop Wood, Carry Water mixes positive news with actions you can take.