Artists make ‘Anti-Slop’ to rebel against AI: ‘It’s been rammed down our throats’

EEarlier this year, a group of filmmakers, commercial directors and AI industry influencers gathered in New York City for the Runway AI Summit – a day-long hype fest highlighting the potential of this new technology. During a talk, Rob Wrubel, co-founder and managing partner of San Francisco advertising firm Silverside, talked about his work on the Coca-Cola company’s AI-generated “2025 Holiday Caravan” ad. “The incredible thing about AI,” said Wrubel, “is that it only takes two weeks from script to production!”

What Wrubel didn’t mention was that the ad — with its computerized polar bears and fake-looking rolling delivery trucks — was widely despised by just about everyone who saw it. In fact, public distaste for the campaign became a news story in its own right, spawning headlines like “People Really Don’t Like Coke’s AI Christmas Commercial” and “Coca-Cola’s New AI Christmas Ad Is a Sloppy Eyesore.” It might actually have been quick thinking – and it looked like it…