McDonald's Takes Down AI-Created Christmas Ad Following Public Outcry.

McDonald's has pulled a Christmas advert made via AI following facing considerable online backlash.

The short film was produced via generative AI clips and was first uploaded publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.

Social Media Criticism and Removal

Following its publication, audiences online criticized the use of AI in the film. Many called it "uncanny" and "jarringly assembled".

"This moment is an important learning as we examine the effective use of Artificial Intelligence," stated a statement from the company.

The commercial was created for the brand by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It showed various scenarios that often go badly during the Christmas break, under the theme "the most terrible time of the year".

The Phenomenon of AI Commercials

Campaigns that include AI tools have emerged as a growing phenomenon among large brands, particularly for the Christmas season.

• Another beverage giant has recently released back-to-back AI-generated holiday commercials.
• Technical Challenges: As segments made with generative AI are prone to degrade the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only six to 10 seconds in length.
• Broader Implications: The ad also sparked worries about automation in the production sector, with some critics pointing out it might reduce work for actors.

Response from the Production Company

Following the commercial being pulled, The Sweetshop's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, stood by the advert.

According to her, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then shaped during the edit "just as we would on any traditional production".

"This was not an AI trick," she said. "The result was a proper commercial."

Divisive Public Reception

While the McDonald's commercial was mostly criticized, the sentiment for some AI-generated campaigns has been more mixed.

For instance, a recent AI-created holiday spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis garnered a significant "favorable response" from viewers.

However, several companies have also received scrutiny for using AI in advertising. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics described as "cheap" and "disturbing".

The incident underscores the ongoing debate within the advertising and creative industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and creative integrity.