Coca-Cola’s AI Christmas ad is “uncanny” and “soulless”

Coca-Cola has recreated one of its iconic Christmas adverts using artificial intelligence, and people aren’t happy about it.

If you thought that the magic of Christmas was safe from the clutches of artificial intelligence (AI), you’d be wrong. Coca-Cola has recreated its classic 1995 Christmas advert, and it’s truly uncanny.

The video ‘Holidays are Coming’ depicts a fleet of AI-generated Coca-Cola trucks as they descend on a snowy Christmas town.

This is a direct reference to the soda giant's 1995 advert, which shows a caravan of Coke trucks trundling down a street and lighting up the town as they pass.

The latest 2024 rehash depicts various AI-generated creatures, including polar bears, reindeer, and labradors. There’s even a scene of polar bears watching TV in an igloo.

Several renditions of this remake have been released, one of which includes “people” enjoying the festive period. However, these people are also AI-generated and incredibly creepy, to say the least.

While the adverts have received mixed reviews, many people have taken to X to express their opinions.

AI productivity trainer Alex Northstar said to his 12,000 followers that the advert made by Coca-Cola is “bad quality,” and he personally knows AI on X that would do a better job.

Coca-Cola, I can't believe this!

This ad was made with AI. And it hurts.
BECAUSE it's bad quality.

Please check the AI artists on X and hire them, some are friends of mine who would do a much better job for a quarter of the price.

(tag a friend who would do a better job).
I'm… pic.twitter.com/340YwEClV0

undefined Alex Northstar (@NorthstarBrain) November 17, 2024

While Coca-Cola may be attempting to convince consumers that it’s modernizing and entering the AI age, users believe that these ads were created to cut costs.

Yet the discussion surrounding AI stealing creative jobs still continues, as users criticize Coca-Cola’s decision to employ AI instead of real actors and artists.

„aI wIlL nEvEr rEpLaCe hUmaNs iN mOvIes aNd aDs“
CoCa Cola: hold my cokepic.twitter.com/5n7DTqGRCS

undefined Chubby♨️ (@kimmonismus) November 15, 2024

However, one of the studios that helped create the ad, Silverside AI, said that the ad involved 40 creatives across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia – a live choir was even involved in the ad’s creation.

These ads were created by three AI studios: Silverside AI, Secret Level, and Wildcard. Silverside AI suggested that the ads couldn’t have been made without collaboration between humans and AI.

The project only took two months to make and involved rendering 10,000 frames and creating 5000 videos.

Although Silverside AI says that “AI combined with human creativity can elevate storytelling to new heights,” netizens are still skeptical about using the technology in advertising.