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

The global fast-food chain has removed a holiday advert made with AI after facing widespread public disapproval.

The short ad was developed using AI video tools and was first published online for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.

Social Media Response and Removal

Shortly after its release, audiences online denounced the employment of AI in the commercial. Many labeled it "disturbing" and "awkwardly stitched together".

"This incident represents an important learning as we explore the appropriate use of generative technology," said a spokesperson from the company.

The commercial was produced for McDonald's by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and US production company The Sweetshop. It showed a series of situations that often go badly over the festive season, using the tagline "not the most wonderful time of the year".

The Movement of AI Commercials

Adverts that feature generative AI have become a rising phenomenon among prominent corporations, especially for the Christmas campaign season.

• Coca-Cola has similarly launched back-to-back AI-created holiday ads.
• Inherent Limitations: Because clips made using current AI video tools are more likely to become unstable the more extended they are, the majority of such clips tend to be only short in length.
• Industry Concerns: The video also raised concerns about job displacement in the creative sector, with some observers stating it might negatively impact opportunities for production staff.

Defense from the Production Company

After the ad being taken down, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.

Bridge claimed, the production process took "over a month and a half" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then crafted during the edit "in the same way we would on any high-craft production".

"This wasn't just an experiment," she commented. "The result was a proper commercial."

Divisive Audience Sentiment

While the McDonald's commercial was predominantly panned, the reception for some AI-assisted holiday ads has been more mixed.

For instance, a recent AI-generated holiday ad from Coca-Cola reportedly garnered a significant "favorable response" from viewers.

However, other businesses have likewise received scrutiny for using AI in advertising. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that critics called "cheap" and "disturbing".

The incident underscores the ongoing debate within the advertising and production industries about the trade-off between AI efficiency and human craftsmanship.