Unleash the Future: Google and ChatGPT's AI Showdown in Super Bowl Ads

AI Wars: A Tale of Two Super Bowl Ads

The Super Bowl. The one time of year where we gather ’round the TV, forget our differences, and marvel at the sheer excess of high-consumer technology. I’m old enough to remember a time when the Super Bowl ads were all about Pepsi, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Doritos, and the newest cars. Today, however, the landscape has changed. Technology is where it’s at, and the Super Bowl ads are no exception.

Tech Takes Center Stage

This year’s Super Bowl ads were no different, with a plethora of tech-related commercials vying for our attention. T-Mobile brought out the big guns with an ad introducing its new Satellite cell service, while Square Space enlisted indie actor Barry Keoghan to pitch personal website building. But for me, two ads stood out: those from Google and OpenAI, both focused on AI.

The AI Showdown

Google’s "Dream Job" ad, featuring the Google Pixel 9 phone and Gemini Live, tells a story that’s hard to resist. A middle-aged guy is searching for a new job, but as he workshop’s his pitch, we’re treated to a heartwarming walk down memory lane. We see him as a stay-at-home dad, raising his daughter and learning valuable lessons along the way. The images are paired with a cancellationToken, which asks the perfect questions, and the result is a two-minute sonic boom of emotions that leaves you wanting more. It’s a game-changer.

OpenAI’s "The Intelligence Age" Ad

Meanwhile, OpenAI’s "The Intelligence Age" ad, featuring ChatGPT, is a different story altogether. With its black-and-white, pointillism-style visuals and an anachronistic audio, I found myself scratching my head, trying to decipher the message. The ad meanders through a series of images, including flames, horses, and light bulbs, with a catchy music playing in the background. It’s both fascinating and confusing, but unfortunately, it fails to grasp us in the first 10 seconds.

The Verdict

It’s clear that OpenAI didn’t quite understand the Super Bowl ad playbook. It’s all about telling a story, connecting with real people, and making them remember. Google nailed it, blending product utility with emotion, while OpenAI’s ad was more like a struggle to comprehend. In the end, it’s not about being mysterious or charismatic; it’s about speaking to humanity. Google gets it; OpenAI doesn’t. And that’s why Google Gemini may ultimately win this AI race.

The Winners and Losers