This wasn’t the article we planned to write today, but given the buzz, it felt necessary. We’ve covered AI advancements and controversies before, but this one stands out for its irony.
The Super Bowl is known for its high-profile, creative advertisements, with each 30-second slot costing a literal fortune. This year, among the usual array of big-budget ads (including many related to AI), one stood out—not specifically for its message, but for what it revealed between the lines.
OpenAI made its Super Bowl debut with The Intelligence Age, a 60-second ad that reportedly cost $14 million, according to The Verge. The spot features pointillism-inspired animation, transforming dots into iconic milestones of human progress—from fire and the wheel to DNA sequencing and space exploration. It culminates with ChatGPT assisting with everyday tasks like business planning and language tutoring, positioning AI as the next great leap in human innovation.
A compelling message, sure. But what really got people talking, at least in our algorithm? The fact that this AI-powered company, championing the future of generative technology, didn’t use AI to create its ad.
“The ad itself is a signal of how AI can assist—not replace, but aid and enhance—a human-led creative effort”, as described in OpenAI’s blog about the ad.
THE IRONIC TWIST
For the past two years, AI-generated content has flooded the internet, with endless claims that it spells the death of traditional creative industries. Yet, when it came to its own high-profile Super Bowl moment, OpenAI opted for traditional, human-made advertising animation rather that showcasing the technology it is pushing. To produce it, they partnered with Accenture Song.
According to OpenAI CMO Kate Rouch, they did use their generative video model, Sora, for early prototyping, camera animations and rapid iteration. However, the final animation was crafted entirely by human artists.
“This is a celebration of human creativity and an extension of human creativity”, Open AI CMO, Kate Rouch
The decision seems in and on itself… surprising. The marketing industry is already heavily turning to AI for generating visuals, copy and even entirely finished commercials—largely because it’s cheaper. But is it better? OpenAI's choice suggests that, when the stakes are high, human creatives are still the best bet.
So… is it all just silicon valley hype?
AI ADS AND CONTROVERSY
We’re in a moment of disruption. Backlash is inevitable. Fear is palpable.
In advertising, we’ve already seen brands face intense criticism for their use of AI. However, OpenAI’s approach was a calculated marketing move, allowing them to sidestep the kind of backlash that other AI-powered ads have faced.
Oh, you don't remember? Let us give you a refresher, with our top three most controversial AI related ads:
Coca-Cola’s AI-Generated Christmas Ad attempted to deliver a heartwarming holiday message, but instead, it was criticized for feeling "uncanny" and "soulless". Many argued that it lacked the warmth and authenticity that define classic holiday campaigns.
Apple’s "Crush" iPad Ad sparked outrage by showing creative tools—musical instruments, books, and art supplies—being crushed into an iPad. Critics called it a tone-deaf metaphor for technology replacing traditional creative methods.
Google’s Gemini Olympics Ad was pulled after backlash. The ad, which featured an AI writing a heartfelt letter from a young girl to her favorite athlete, was seen as diminishing human emotion in favor of automation.
SO, WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
Generative AI is improving by the second and as we’ve said before, the question isn’t if we should use it, but how we use it. OpenAI’s Super Bowl ad makes one thing clear: AI is a tool, not a replacement.
And, for once, it's nice to see that humans are still the ones shaping the (hi)story.
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