Don’t fall for the slop trap

What founders should learn from government tech moves and media strategy

Hey there,

This is our final edition for the year.

Before we wrap things up for the holidays, I wanted to end on a note that feels honest about where things are heading. This year made one thing very clear to me: the gap between signal and noise is getting wider.

Governments are bringing in real builders. The word “slop” is now part of everyday language. Even the world’s most established brands are figuring out what AI should and shouldn’t do.

These changes aren’t just ideas anymore. They’re shaping how teams form, how brands communicate, and where top talent decides to work.

This week’s stories aren’t just about trends. They focus on alignment—who’s doing meaningful work, who’s keeping their unique voice, and who’s choosing speed over control.

Let’s get into it.

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🌐 News Shortlist

1. The US government is recruiting straight from Big Tech

Recap: The US government is quietly hiring senior talent from top tech companies to drive its new technology and digital services efforts. Engineers, product leaders, and operators from Google, Meta, and Amazon are joining to work on AI, digital infrastructure, and modernization projects. These hires have real authority and control over budgets.

The big change is how goals now line up. For years, tech talent stayed away from government because it was slow, political, and lacked resources. Now, things are different. The government needs strong technical skills, and top people are interested because the challenges are large, clear, and long-term.

This shift also shows growth. The US now sees technology as core infrastructure, not just a side project. Instead of hiring consultants or advisory boards, they are bringing in people who have built large systems and learned from failure.

For founders, this shift is more important than politics. When the government competes with Big Tech for talent, it changes the market. The standard for what counts as ‘experienced’ goes up, and it shows that real results matter more than hype.

Advice:

Watch where top talent is heading. Skilled people go where they can make a difference. When the public sector hires builders instead of talkers, it means real work is about to happen. Make sure your company is ready for that shift, not just the chatter.

2. “Slop” becomes Word of the Year

Recap: Merriam-Webster chose “slop” as its Word of the Year because of the surge in low-quality, AI-generated content online. Now, people use the word to describe generic, mass-produced text, images, and videos that add more noise than value.

This struck a chord because it’s a common experience. Our feeds are packed, but most of it is forgettable. The real issue isn’t AI itself, but how easily it lets people create without care or responsibility. Slop isn’t just about technology—it’s about losing the human touch.

For brands, this is a clear warning. When everything sounds alike, standing out isn’t about being faster or bigger. It’s about having a unique voice and sharing real opinions—even if not everyone agrees. As more content becomes automated, genuine perspective matters even more.

Ironically, AI makes human work more valuable, not less. Original ideas, real experience, and a clear point of view are now advantages. Brands that show their unique traits, values, and real people will stand out. Those focused only on quantity will get lost.

Advice:

Let AI help your work, but don’t let it take over your identity. If your content sounds like anyone could have written it, it won’t stand out. Focus on being clear, thoughtful, and true to your voice. That’s how you rise above the slop.

3. Disney Lets OpenAI Train on Its Characters

Recap: Disney has made a deal with OpenAI that lets the company use Disney-owned characters and intellectual property as part of their larger AI partnership. OpenAI can now use Disney content in specific, controlled ways. This raises questions about how famous characters might show up in AI-generated tools and outputs.

This is where concerns about low-quality, mass-produced content become serious.

Disney is known for tightly controlling its intellectual property. Every character, line, and image is created with purpose. Allowing these characters into generative AI systems means they could appear in situations Disney did not plan. Even with some controls in place, this could weaken their brand.

This is the main challenge. AI needs large, well-known datasets to be useful and interesting. Brands want to stay relevant and reach more people. But the more your intellectual property is used for training, the harder it is to control its tone, meaning, and quality. This can turn good storytelling into low-quality content.

If Disney is willing to make this trade-off, it shows how strong the pressure is. Companies are focused on growing and making money. The real question is whether people want more content, or if they prefer better, more human stories.

Advice:

If you have a brand, be careful about what you let AI systems use. Once your voice, characters, or ideas become training data, you can lose control quickly. In a world full of low-quality content, companies that protect their message and purpose will stand out more than those that just focus on quantity.

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That’s it for this week.

I’m taking a short break and will return with the newsletter in the second week of January. I hope you get some real rest, enjoy time with family, and find a little peace and quiet until then.

If you’re planning to hire in early 2026, reorganize your team, or decide where to invest in talent, feel free to reach out. We don’t have to wait for the new year to start these conversations.

Thank you for reading, sharing, and being part of the conversation this year.

Until next time,
Joseph Burns
CEO & Founder, Lupa