When the internet eats itself: teaching truth in the age of AI slop

Abstract

AI slop may be new, but the challenge it represents is not. As generative AI transforms how information is created, distributed, and consumed, students increasingly encounter answers before they encounter evidence. This article examines the implications of manufactured authorship, AI-generated search summaries, and synthetic credibility for school libraries and information literacy programs. Drawing on research, contemporary examples, and school-based practice, it argues that teacher librarians are uniquely positioned to help students develop the habits of judgement needed to navigate an increasingly complex information environment. Through frameworks such as CARE, lateral reading, and evidence verification, the article explores how schools can prepare learners to think critically in an age of instant answers.