“AI is a challenging topic to address, consistently evoking fear and contempt among audiences. Ads discussing AI generate twice the negative emotion compared to other ads,” said Jon Evans, chief customer officer of System1. “Writing letters is an intensely personal and human activity, and replacing it with AI diminishes the personal connection. AI should serve as an assistant, not a substitute, enhancing human creativity rather than overshadowing it.”
Apple really didn’t ‘Crush!’ it
The ad: Apple’s recent iPad Pro commercial, “Crush!,” depicted a hydraulic press slowly destroying various creative tools, such as musical instruments, paint cans, and sculptures. Apple’s intent was clear—everything you can do with these items, you can also do with the iPad Pro.
The controversy: The ad sparked discontent within the creative community. Many viewers found the ad unsettling and interpreted it as a reinforcement of the existing fear among creatives of an Orwellian future where AI overtakes human creativity.
“The destruction of the human experience. Courtesy of Silicon Valley,” actor Hugh Grant said on X. Apple apologized shortly after the ad was released, stating that the company “missed the mark,” and it scrapped plans to run the commercial on TV.
Analysis: System1 gave this ad spot a low 1.9 score.
“Audiences don’t necessarily hate the ad, they’re just confused,” said Evans. “When you look at the audience’s emotional breakdown, it’s mostly neutrality, not negativity, driving the low star rating. It’s a statement ad that caught attention, but many consumers just don’t get the point of it, so the intentions are ultimately lost.”
Toys R Us’ all-AI brand film sparks outcry
The ad: Not a conventional ad, but the toy retailer made a 60-second brand film almost entirely created with generative AI, featuring its late founder, Charles Lazarus, as a child dreaming of a toy store and its mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe.
