The global fast-food chain has pulled a Christmas advert produced with Artificial Intelligence following receiving widespread online backlash.
The short ad was created using AI video tools and was initially uploaded publicly for the Dutch branch of McDonald's on 6 December.
Audience Criticism and Removal
Soon after it aired, audiences online lambasted the employment of AI in the film. Several labeled it "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This experience represents an valuable lesson as we investigate the effective utilization of Artificial Intelligence," commented a spokesperson from McDonald's Netherlands.
The commercial was developed for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It portrayed various situations that often go badly over the festive season, using the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".
A Growing Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that include AI-created content have become a increasing phenomenon among major companies, notably for the Christmas campaign season.
- Coca-Cola has recently released back-to-back AI-created Christmas commercials.
- Inherent Limitations: Since clips created using current AI video tools are susceptible to degrade the more extended they are, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be roughly a few seconds in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also provoked fears about job displacement in the creative industry, with some observers noting it might affect work for actors.
Defense from the Creators
After the ad being taken down, The Sweetshop's head, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the project.
She stated, the creation took "over a month and a half" and involved producing "numerous versions" which were then crafted afterward "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't just an experiment," she said. "We consider it a film."
Mixed Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was predominantly criticized, the reception for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a significant "positive feedback" from viewers.
However, various brands have also received backlash for employing AI in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics described as "lazy" and "disturbing".
The episode illustrates the ongoing discussion within the advertising and production industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and creative integrity.
