Coca-Cola faces criticism over AI-generated holiday commercial

Coca-Cola has sparked controversy with its new AI-generated Christmas advertisement that recreates imagery from its 1995 “Holidays Are Coming” campaign, NBC reports. The video, created by three AI studios using multiple generative AI models, shows animated scenes of trucks and people celebrating with Coca-Cola products. Artists and creative professionals have strongly criticized the company’s decision to use AI instead of human artists, with many arguing it threatens creative jobs. According to Forbes, the controversial video was produced through a collaboration between Secret Level, Silverside AI, and Wild Card studios. Coca-Cola defended its approach, stating it combines human storytelling with AI technology, while marketing expert Neeraj Arora from the University of Wisconsin-Madison suggests the backlash stems from AI’s perceived conflict with the traditional, community-focused nature of holiday advertising.