We call it “content” because we inhabit a world where we fill the databases and filesystems that were designed for us. And at some point, it became our job as “content creators” to fill those containers.
It seems as natural as calling one of those several things that hold up a table a leg. The word works because people know what we mean when we use it. It’s harder to get your point across with synonyms and periphrase.
But at the same time, there are implications. The content mindset is indifferent to meaning and intent. A jar of sand, a jar of diamonds, and a jar of processed and extruded frankenmeat are all equivalent as content. Most complaints about content quality stem from the implications of that equivalence.
Once the game becomes creating more stuff to fill the containers, it’s only logical that its production be automated to the extent that technology will allow.
