McDonald's Takes Down AI-Generated Festive Advertisement After Online Criticism.

McDonald's has removed a Christmas advertisement created with Artificial Intelligence following facing widespread criticism on social media.

The 45-second spot was created using AI-generated video and was originally released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands on 6 December.

Social Media Response and Decision to Pull

Following its publication, viewers on social media denounced the implementation of AI in the advert. A number of described it as "creepy" and "awkwardly stitched together".

"This experience is an important lesson as we investigate the effective use of Artificial Intelligence," commented a spokesperson from the company.

The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Netherlands-based company TBWA\Neboko and US firm The Sweetshop. It portrayed various situations that might go awry over the Christmas break, under the theme "the worst time of the year".

A Growing Phenomenon of AI Commercials

Campaigns that feature AI tools have emerged as a growing trend among major companies, particularly for the Christmas season.

• Coca-Cola has similarly released consecutive AI-created Christmas ads.
• Inherent Limitations: Since clips produced using generative AI are prone to become unstable the longer they run, the majority of AI video outputs tend to be only six to 10 seconds in length.
• Industry Concerns: The ad also provoked concerns about the replacement of human roles in the production sector, with some commenters pointing out it could affect opportunities for camera crews.

Defense from the Production Company

Following the video's removal, a producer's CEO, Melanie Bridge, defended the advert.

Bridge claimed, the development required "seven weeks" and involved generating "numerous versions" which were then crafted in post-production "in the same way we would on any standard production".

"This was not an AI trick," she said. "We consider it a finished piece."

Mixed Audience Sentiment

While the McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the reception for other AI-assisted campaigns has been varied.

For instance, a consecutive AI-created holiday ad from another major brand reportedly garnered a significant "positive sentiment rating" from viewers.

However, several companies have also received scrutiny for using the technique in their campaigns. Luxury fashion house Valentino, for example, was lambasted for advertisements that some described as "low-effort" and "uncanny".

The episode highlights the continuing conversation within the marketing and production sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.