The global fast-food chain has removed a Christmas commercial created using generative AI following facing widespread criticism on social media.
The brief film was developed via AI-generated video and was first released publicly for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.
Viewer Response and Decision to Pull
Soon after it aired, audiences online lambasted the use of AI in the film. Many described it as "creepy" and "jarringly assembled".
"This incident serves as an key learning as we explore the proper use of Artificial Intelligence," said a statement from the company.
The advert was developed for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It showed a series of scenarios that can go wrong during the festive season, under the theme "the most terrible time of the year".
The Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that incorporate AI-created content have become a rising trend among large companies, notably for the holiday period.
- Another beverage giant has similarly released consecutive AI-created holiday ads.
- Inherent Limitations: As videos created using generative AI are susceptible to distort the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
- Broader Implications: The ad also raised concerns about job displacement in the advertising industry, with some commenters pointing out it might reduce opportunities for production staff.
Defense from the Creators
Following the video's removal, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
According to her, the production process took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "numerous versions" which were then shaped in post-production "just as we would on any high-craft production".
"This wasn't an experiment," Bridge asserted. "The result was a film."
Divisive Audience Sentiment
While the Dutch McDonald's ad was mostly criticized, the response for some AI-generated holiday ads has been divisive.
For instance, a consecutive AI-created Christmas ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a significant "positive sentiment rating" from the public.
However, several companies have also faced scrutiny for using the technique in their campaigns. Italian fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that critics called "lazy" and "disturbing".
The situation underscores the evolving conversation within the advertising and creative industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.
