American sportswear brand Under Armor has recently come under fire for a controversial “artificial intelligence ad” that raised concerns about the credibility of art and the role of technology in the creative industry. The one-minute ad, which featured a brief cut of British boxer Anthony Joshua, was praised for its editing but criticized for its rejection of human creativity.
Wes Walker, the manager responsible for the creation of the ad, claims that the ad, which is “the world’s first artificial intelligence game ad”, uses artificial intelligence in treatment. However, it was later revealed that most of the clip was re-shot from a previous Under Armor commercial by another director, Gustav Johansson.
Johnson drew attention to the recycled clip in the comments under the post and emphasized the importance of developers in the age of artificial intelligence. He expressed concern about the lack of recognition that advertising was produced by intellectual property and said appropriate credit and recognition was essential for the creative industries.
This raises broader questions about the future of art and creativity in a world driven by artificial intelligence. While technologies such as artificial intelligence can improve the creative process, they also create problems in terms of intellectual property rights and ethics. Many industry insiders echoed these concerns, criticized the media’s approach and called for greater respect for artists and their work.
As the debate continues, the Under Armor ad reminds us of the complexity of creativity. While AI can be a powerful tool, it must complement human creativity, not interfere, and give due recognition to those who contribute to the process.