UI Slop Review

A focused catalog of the specific visual "tells" that make an interface read instantly as AI-generated, plus how to fix them. Use it both when generating UI and when reviewing UI (code or screenshots).

Core principle: intentionality, not prohibition

The slop is never the element. It is the reflexive, meaningless use of the element.

The single test for anything on screen is: "Does this convey real information or serve the context here?"

• If yes, it is craft. Keep it. A nav icon that encodes a real category, a chevron that signals "expandable," a status pill that maps to a distinct state, a relative-time feed in an activity log, a dark-mode toggle: all good.
• If it is there because it "looks like a dashboard" or "looks technical," it is slop. Cut it or replace it with something that earns its place.