Generative AI creates 'visual elevator music' as study reveals cultural stagnation is underway
A January 2026 study by researchers Arend Hintze, Frida Proschinger Åström and Jory Schossau reveals that generative AI systems naturally drift toward bland, generic outputs when allowed to iterate autonomously. The findings show AI homogenization happens before retraining even begins, raising concerns about AI-induced cultural stagnation across creative industries.