It's hard to believe that McDonald's was surprised by the backlash against its AI-generated Christmas advert. It only had to look at the reaction to the Coca-Cola Christmas ad for a taste of what to expect.
Unlike Coca-Cola, the fastfood giant has quickly pulled the advert, but it's already unleashed a demon. A satirical video that uses AI to replicate a character from the controversial McDonald's ad has gone viral, and it's more cutting than anything Burger King has come up with in the so-called Burger Wars.
The Christmas ad from McDonald's Netherlands (see the original below) presented the festive period as the "most terrible time of the year". While grinches everywhere might be able to relate to that message, the use of AI to generate video of exploding trees, burnt baking and dinner table disasters fell flat with almost everyone.
McDonald's has since removed the advert from YouTube and told BBC News that it was "an important learning" on "the effective use of AI". But filmmaker Jacob Reed and his recently founded agency All Trades Co aren't going to let the blunder disappear that easily.
Reed has turned McDonald's and ad agency TBWA\Neboko's AI-generated assets against them, making one of the characters tear into both brands.
Since AI-generated characters are not human actors, they don't have contracts, and don't need to be paid, the character says. That means they can be made to say anything, including criticising the brand that generated them.
“I could say the McDonald's commercial I was in was an overstimulating mess filled with unsettling character designs, poor visual treatments, and AI effects that bungle basic physical realism,” the character is made to say. She goes on to cast aspersions against McDonald's burgers and to eat a Burger King burger instead.
The satirical piece has already picked up over 70,000 likes on Instagram. Many people have welcomed the point being made, with some suggesting the creation of a movement using AI “actors” against the brands who generate them.
But the video is also causing a controversy of its own, with some saying it's hypocritical to try to fight AI with AI. “Using AI to say AI is bad is still bad!” one person argues in the comments on Instagram. “We don't use AI because it steals from artist and it's bad for the environment”.
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