AI slop has become the visual language of neo fascism.

Which honestly makes a great deal of sense if you consider graphic design and visual choices in general, as expressions of ones underlying core values.

AI generated imageries tendency to appear far grander and deeper at a glance than it is on close inspection, is an apt metaphor for the way fascist governments and groups present and conduct themselves.

The choice of a medium with an outsized demand on resources compared with its end result, and an end result which is a facsimile of other processes, marries well with fascisms impact and role in society, even if it doesn’t match up with the principles of fascism itself.

The diversion of the resources & work of nameless others, all in service of the select individuals desire to have control, and to shape the world to their view, fits well with the type of individualism we see in neo fascist circles. The tools let them visualise the justification for their authoritarian and xenophobic ideals, whilst also letting them conjure images of the “ideal” which they think to protect.

But much more than its use on an individual level, this is a tool that from the top down can be used to reshape “truth”, the party no longer has to tell you to ignore the evidence of your eyes and ears, they can quite literally reshape what is seen and heard.

This is important because fascism relies heavily on fantasy, as much as many neo-fascists would shun that notion, fascism is in truth always fuelled by myth, the myth of an idealised reality. It’s a fundamental part of how it incites its base, by creating a myth claimed to be either an obtainable reality or reclamation of past glory, a stark juxtaposition is drawn in the minds of the populous between this “obtainable myth” and the reality in which they find themselves. This incenses the people, even as it presents “the party” as the solution.

A.I gives the Party limitless access to this myth making. For every one photo of their leader looking ill they can generate a thousand videos and images of him as strong and competent. Every eye(phone) witness video of an atrocity, they can re-edit and adjust. What’s more by removing the individual creatives from the process, the dissemination of this propaganda can appear far more organic and decentralised than it actually is. People can’t simply dismiss the art as one individual artists bias when there are a thousand “paintings” all by different “artists”.

This use and abuse of new technology is something we find in traditional fascism. By combining science fiction and ancient myth the Germans created both an idealised past and a path to reclaim it in the minds of the people. Tales of idyllic Aryan life and music are broadcast to every home, occasionally inter-spliced with news updates on the latest miracle “wunderwaffe” (wonder weapon). This was a core part of how the party shaped the people’s reality, they spent great effort producing “Volksempfänger” (the people’s receiver/radio) to ensure the vast majority would have access to these radio broadcasts.

So it is no wonder given all this that neo fascists have gravitated towards this new tool. It is a tool that allows them to take all they want from artistic creation, without ever actually engaging with the process of creation (and the challenges to ego that come with it)

And honestly I’d be more frustrated by this if the end results weren’t such perfect representations of those wielding the tools. Surface level, misinformed, technically weak visuals which crumble with ever increasing scrutiny. These are images limited by their own process of production. They are an impression of a facsimile of far larger things, gold paint pretending to be gold leaf pretending to be solid metal.

Generated imagery put out by U.S Government