The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday advert produced using Artificial Intelligence after encountering significant criticism on social media.
The brief spot was produced using AI-generated video and was initially uploaded online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.
Viewer Criticism and Removal
Soon after it aired, commenters criticized the employment of AI in the film. Several described it as "uncanny" and "awkwardly stitched together".
"This moment is an important learning as we examine the proper application of AI," said a statement from the company.
The advert was created for McDonald's by Netherlands-based agency TBWA\Neboko and American production company The Sweetshop. It showed various scenarios that might go awry over the Christmas break, under the slogan "not the most wonderful time of the year".
The Trend of AI-Generated Ads
Commercials that feature generative AI have emerged as a growing trend among large brands, especially for the holiday season.
- Coca-Cola has recently launched back-to-back AI-generated holiday ads.
- Technical Challenges: Because clips produced using current AI video tools are susceptible to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of such clips tend to be roughly six to 10 seconds in length.
- Industry Concerns: The ad also raised concerns about job displacement in the creative sector, with some observers pointing out it could negatively impact work for actors.
Defense from the Production Company
After the video's removal, a producer's chief executive, Melanie Bridge, spoke in support of the advert.
Bridge claimed, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved producing "countless iterations" which were then crafted during the edit "just as we would on any standard production".
"This wasn't an experiment," she said. "The result was a film."
Divisive Public Reception
While the McDonald's commercial was predominantly criticized, the reception for some AI-assisted campaigns has been varied.
For instance, a recent AI-created holiday ad from Coca-Cola according to analysis received a significant "favorable response" from viewers.
However, several companies have also encountered backlash for employing the technique in advertising. Luxury brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for advertisements that critics called "cheap" and "uncanny".
The incident underscores the continuing debate within the advertising and creative sectors about the trade-off between new tools and human craftsmanship.
