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The abject weirdness of AI ads | TechCrunch

Dec 04, 2024 - techcrunch.com
The article discusses the portrayal of AI in advertisements, focusing on how they often inadvertently highlight the technology's potential to dehumanize interactions and activities. It cites examples such as the Browser Company's ad for its AI browser, Dia, where the CEO uses the AI to communicate with his wife, and Google's ad where a father and daughter use AI to write a fan letter, arguing that these ads show AI replacing genuine human interactions. The article also mentions ads that depict AI as a magical entity capable of anything, suggesting that many companies don't truly understand what AI is good for.

The author argues that while these ads may seem dystopian, they are also uncomfortably honest, reflecting how AI is currently being used. The article suggests that AI is being used to automate tasks that are central to the human experience, such as art and companionship, which some find unsettling. The author concludes by stating that while previous generations of technology promised to liberate and connect us, the overarching promise of AI remains unclear, and automating core aspects of the human experience may not be the uplifting message companies are looking for.

Key takeaways:

  • The Browser Company's new AI browser, Dia, has been criticized for impersonalizing human interactions, as shown in a recent ad where the CEO uses the AI to communicate with his wife.
  • Many tech companies are inadvertently revealing how AI technology can remove us from human activities and experiences, causing discomfort and backlash.
  • Despite the dystopian feel of these AI ads, they are an honest representation of how AI is currently being used, for tasks such as AI-generated art and AI companions.
  • Many AI advertisements are vague and nonspecific, reflecting the industry's uncertainty about what AI is truly good for and the discomfort around its potential to automate tasks that are central to the human experience.
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