An “AI-powered” ad from Under Armour featuring boxer Anthony Joshua has ignited controversy on Instagram. The ad’s director, Ivan Vaccaro, claimed it was the “first AI-powered sports commercial.” However, critics in the industry argue that it blatantly reused others’ work without credit, capitalizing on the AI hype cycle.
The ad features a montage of Joshua training and fighting, with text overlayed that appears to be generated by an AI. However, several creators have pointed out that the text is actually taken from their own posts, without attribution.
Vaccaro has defended the ad, saying that the text was “sourced from a variety of public sources” and that he “did not intentionally take credit for anyone else’s work.” However, critics argue that this is not enough and that he should have properly credited the creators whose work he used.
The controversy highlights the growing debate over the use of AI in advertising. Some argue that AI can be used to create innovative and engaging ads, while others worry that it will lead to plagiarism and a lack of originality.
It remains to be seen how the controversy will impact the ad industry. However, it is clear that AI is a powerful tool that can be used for both good and bad. It is important to use it responsibly and ethically and to always give credit where credit is due.