Is it really AI slop if someone leverages AI to improve / transform their novel experiences and ideas into a rendition that they prefer?

I'm not suggesting whether or not the article is AI assisted. I'm wondering if the ease of calling someone's work "AI slop" is a step along the slippery slope towards trivializing this sort of drive-by hostility that can be toxic in a community.

You are right about the toxicity, I will edit my comment.

There's a difference between leveraging AI to proofread or improve parts of their writing and this - I feel like AI was overused here; gave the whole article that distinctive smell and significantly reduced its information density.