McDonald's has removed a Christmas advert created with Artificial Intelligence following receiving significant online backlash.
The brief film was created via AI video tools and was originally released on the YouTube channel for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Removal
Following its publication, commenters lambasted the employment of AI in the advert. A number of described it as "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience represents an key lesson as we examine the proper application of AI," stated a representative from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was developed for the brand by Dutch agency TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It depicted various things that might go awry over the holidays, using the slogan "the most terrible time of the year".
A Growing Movement of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that incorporate AI tools have emerged as a increasing trend among large corporations, notably for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has similarly launched back-to-back AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Technical Challenges: Because videos made with current AI video tools are prone to degrade the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be only six to 10 seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also raised fears about the replacement of human roles in the advertising sector, with some commenters pointing out it could affect work for camera crews.
Defense from the Production Company
Following the commercial being pulled, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
Bridge claimed, the production process required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "thousands of takes" which were then shaped during the edit "in the same way we would on any traditional production".
"This was not an AI gimmick," Bridge asserted. "It was a film."
Mixed Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the reception for some AI-generated holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday spot from another major brand reportedly garnered a 61% "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, other businesses have also received criticism for employing AI in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics described as "lazy" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the continuing conversation within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between new tools and human craftsmanship.
