Coca-Cola's latest AI-generated ad has ignited controversy online, raising questions about creativity and ethics in advertising.

The problem with AI, Halloran said, is that it can’t replicate human emotion, an element that makes so many advertising campaigns successful, Coca-Cola’s holiday ads included. Consumers typically look forward to Coca-Cola’s yearly ads and think back to older campaigns with nostalgia.

Some people poke fun at AI commercials, but experts say consumers don’t care how they are made—and advertisers want to show they are capable of using the cost-saving technology.

Coca-Cola’s new ads emphasize the challenge for brands to cultivate emotional authenticity when engaging with their audience as AI becomes more integrated into advertising campaigns. They remind us to embrace AI cautiously while upholding the human elements that underpin marketing campaigns – holiday ads, in particular.

DPR&Co Advertising Co-Founder Richard Ralphsmith says generative AI has been the “biggest story” in advertising over the last couple of years.