The Fast-Food Giant Removes AI-Generated Christmas Ad In the Wake of Public Outcry.

McDonald's has pulled a holiday advertisement produced via Artificial Intelligence after encountering widespread criticism on social media.

The brief spot was created with the help of AI-generated video and was first released on the YouTube channel for McDonald's Netherlands back on 6 December.

Viewer Criticism and Decision to Pull

Shortly after its release, audiences online lambasted the use of AI in the commercial. Several called it "disturbing" and "poorly edited".

"This moment serves as an important lesson as we examine the proper application of generative technology," said a representative from the company.

The advert was created for the brand by Dutch company TBWA\Neboko and American firm The Sweetshop. It depicted a series of scenarios that might go awry over the holidays, using the slogan "the worst time of the year".

The Trend of AI Commercials

Adverts that incorporate AI-created content have become a rising trend among major companies, particularly for the Christmas season.

• Another beverage giant has also released consecutive AI-created Christmas commercials.
• Technical Challenges: Because clips created with generative AI are prone to distort the more extended they are, most AI video outputs tend to be only short in length.
• Industry Concerns: The ad also raised concerns about job displacement in the production sector, with some commenters noting it could reduce work for actors.

Response from the Creators

Following the commercial being pulled, a producer's head, Melanie Bridge, defended the project.

Bridge claimed, the creation required "over a month and a half" and involved creating "countless iterations" which were then edited in post-production "in the same way we would on any traditional production".

"This was not an AI trick," she commented. "The result was a proper commercial."

Mixed Public Reception

While the McDonald's commercial was mostly panned, the sentiment for other AI-assisted holiday ads has been more mixed.

For instance, a recent AI-created Christmas spot from Coca-Cola according to analysis achieved a 61% "positive feedback" from online commenters.

However, various brands have likewise encountered criticism for using the technique in their campaigns. Italian brand Valentino, for example, was criticized for ads that some called "low-effort" and "disturbing".

The incident underscores the ongoing debate within the advertising and production sectors about the trade-off between technological innovation and human craftsmanship.