Your round-up of the latest, greatest data stories

Hello ODI Supporter,

Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) this week, Youtube CEO Neal Mohan asserted the platform’s number one priority in 2026 was “managing AI slop,” vowing to battle low-quality AI-generated content to the fullest extent. He then immediately turned to advertise Youtube’s own AI integrations to the audience, with these tools soon allowing creators to “use AI versions of themselves in [Youtube] Shorts” and keep pumping content out.  

Controversially, Glasgow City Council approved an obviously AI-generated mural, replete with a train floating in the air and an American bald eagle inexorably soaring in the distance; objection on social media led the proposer to blame “keyboard warriors [who] should calm down.” Slop isn’t generally so easy to detect though, with a fake video of a city council mayor prompting calls for stricter rules regarding deepfakes and AI. 

After “begging” people to stop calling AI-generated content “slop” a couple of weeks ago, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella also took to the stage at the WEF, this time with an even greater sense of urgency. He claimed that if AI doesn’t start actually helping people’s daily lives, the tech industry will “lose the social permission” to operate as it does, especially with regards to electricity usage. Notably, in a case of nominative determinism perhaps going wrong, Mount Pleasant might see 15 (fifteen!) more of Microsoft’s big beautiful data centres within the next couple of years. 

It’s not slop for everyone, by the way. One academic paper published this week presents an analysis of more than 40,000 Reddit posts about people’s extremely serious romantic relationships with AI, finding itself in some pretty dark territory. On a more positive note, if someone’s romantic relationship is on the ropes, the advice provided by AI models is considered genuinely helpful according to new research.

Cory Doctorow’s assertion that “AI is asbestos in the walls of our tech society, stuffed there by monopolists run amok” also sounds quite bleak, but he argues that something can be salvaged from the wreckage when “AI companies inevitably fail”. Of course, for now we must contend with the ways AI data centres affect the electricity grid, especially in the UK. BBC News has a fun headline that presents a more appealing future: “Honey, I shrunk the data centres: Is small the new big?”

For a balanced perspective on AI watch our Director of Research Prof Elena Simperl respond to the cries of employment Armageddon on ITV News. And it would be remiss of me not to mention that you can see Elena in action at our free webinar looking at the potential of AI to improve Public Services, book here.  

We are delighted to announce Image Empire, a new digital artwork by Alan Warburton, designed specifically for LinkedIn, will be launched in Spring. It's a follow up to his rave-reviewed ODI commission The Wizard of AI and has been produced by our Data as Culture (DaC) programme with the The National Videogame Museum in partnership with commissioners The Space, and Cambridge University’s’ Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence (CFI).  Check out Alan's takeover of The National Videogame Museum’s LinkedIn from Jan 27th.

You can also catch up with DaC at this year’s Remix, where they will be with the University of Sheffield and Blast Theory bringing Constant Washing Machine to the Summit - but book now tickets are selling out!

And finally… Blue Monday came around this week. If you’re not aware, Monday the 19th of January was the most depressing day of 2026 according to a mathematical formula wielded by the tourism industry in the 2000s (note: the maths has been described as “farcical”).  If you need harder evidence of things being depressing, look no further than data published this week that indicates that, for the 8th year in a row, grey is once again Britain’s most popular new car colour.

I look outside, the sky is grey, the buildings are grey, the new cars are grey; when will it end? Dejected, I take my phone out of my pocket. Time for me to disengage from the world. Let me enjoy my slop.

Until next time. 

Neil and Jo

From the outside world

YouTube chief says 'managing AI slop' is a priority for 2026 

CNBC

Managing slop is the priority for Youtube CEO, arguing against low quality AI-generated content but then, in the same speech, saying how they want creators to use Youtube’s AI to generate content too.

Controversial Glasgow mural 'will have nothing to do with AI'

BBC

Glasgow City Council approved an obviously AI-generated mural, replete with a train floating in the air and an American bald eagle soaring in the distance.

Council approved AI mural in Scotland mocked for featuring US bald eagle

SWNS

A Scottish mural approved by a council has been mocked for being generated by AI – and featuring an American bald eagle.

Call for AI rules after fake video of mayor made

BBC News

A fake video of a city council mayor has prompted calls for more stringent rules around the use of AI videos in politics.

Microsoft CEO Begs Users to Stop Calling It "Slop"

Futurism

A couple of weeks ago, Satya wanted people to stop calling it slop. 

Negotiating Relationships with ChatGPT: Perceptions, External Influences, and Strategies for AI Companionship 

Not slop for some people – analysis of reddit posts about people’s relationships with AI.

Do LLMs Give Good Romantic Relationship Advice? A Study on User Satisfaction and Attitude Change 

Asking the important questions: can AI save my relationship?

Microsoft wants to build 15 more data centers in Mount Pleasant

Wisconsin Public Radio

In a case of nominative determinism gone wrong, Mount Pleasant might see 15 (fifteen!) more data centres within the next couple of years.

Energy costs will decide which countries win the AI race, Microsoft’s Nadella says 

CNBC

At the WEF, Satya Nadella tacitly remarks “if AI doesn’t actually help people, we’ll lose social permission to be using all this electricity”.

Here’s how AI data centers affect the electrical grid

CNN

Tech giants are in a heated race to build data centers and dominate the AI landscape. But America might not be ready for the energy demand.

Solving AI's energy challenge: sustainable data centers for a competitive UK future

Tech Radar

AI is pushing UK data centers to breaking point on power and cooling.

Honey, I shrunk the data centres: Is small the new big?

BBC

One day the mighty data centre could be toppled into obsolescence by the humble smartphone, said Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas on a recent podcast.

AI companies will fail. We can salvage something from the wreckage

The Guardian

AI is asbestos in the walls of our tech society, stuffed there by monopolists run amok. A serious fight against it must strike at its roots.

Blue Monday (date) - Wikipedia

Wikipedia

Blue monday came along this week. 

Grey remains Britain’s favourite car colour for eighth year, SMMT data shows

The Manufacturer

While new car buyers in Britain may have embraced sweeping changes in powertrain technology over recent decades, when it comes to colour choice, preferences remain strikingly conservative.

From the ODI

Data Centric AI #12: Public Services and AI

Free webinar, 05 Feb 2026, book here

How can AI be used to create reliable public services? With Richard Pope, Platformland author; Professor Elena Simperl, Director of Research, ODI; Andy Dudfield, Head of AI at Full Fact; Emer Coleman, Computer Weekly columnist.  

Data Ethics Professional #11: ethical AI in action

Free webinar, 23 Feb 2026, book here

Facing the challenge of embedding ethical considerations into your operations, with Global Fishing Watch.

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