In a striking reflection of the digital era’s evolving entertainment landscape, an Indian YouTube channel, Bandar Apna Dost, has emerged as the world’s most-watched AI-generated content channel, according to a new study by video-editing platform Kapwing.
The channel, which features bizarre animated shorts starring a muscular, Hulk-like figure and an anthropomorphic monkey in absurd, often slapstick situations, generates an estimated annual income of US$4.25 million (S$5.45 million).
It has amassed over 2.07 billion views and 2.78 million subscribers, making it the top performer among what researchers are calling “AI slop” content.
Kapwing’s report analysed 15,000 popular YouTube channels and found that 278 of them exclusively publish AI-generated videos with minimal human oversight.
These channels – often lacking coherent storylines and rich animation – are designed to maximise algorithmic engagement rather than tell meaningful stories. Collectively, they have garnered over 63 billion views and 221 million subscribers.
Despite their low production value, these videos dominate YouTube’s recommendation algorithms.
The study revealed that over 20 per cent of content recommended to new users falls under this AI-generated category, raising questions about the platform’s prioritisation of engagement over creativity.
Bandar Apna Dost has come to symbolise the global potential of AI-generated content.
According to technology and digital rights researcher Rohini Lakshane, the channel’s success can be attributed to its “accessible absurdity” and lack of plot, which allows viewers to jump in at any time without context.
Its hyper-masculine visuals and nonsensical humour are particularly resonant with a wide demographic, including children and non-English speakers.
