A recent Under Armour ad featuring boxer Anthony Joshua is facing backlash on Instagram after its director claimed it was the ‘first AI-powered sports commercial.’ Critics argue that the ad reused others' work without credit, part of an AI hype cycle cash grab, TechCrunch has reported.
Director Wes Walker posted the ad, made from existing assets and AI tools, claiming it was done in just three weeks. However, creatives quickly pointed out that much of the ad reused footage from a previous production directed by Gustav Johansson, with key contributors going uncredited.
In a now-deleted comment, Walker mentioned that they had requested access to Joshua but were turned down multiple times due to limited time and budget constraints during the production of the commercial.
Johansson responded, expressing concern about labelling human involvement as AI and emphasizing the importance of transparency in advertising. Walker later acknowledged this and successfully advocated for credit for themselves and others involved in the project.
While he eventually added credits, the incident sparked a debate about the role of AI in creative work and the exploitation of creatives by brands.
As per the report, many in the industry expressed concern that AI is being used to repurpose existing footage without proper acknowledgement or compensation, blurring the line between original creation and raw material for brands.
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