Microsoft has announced the creation of a one-minute advertisement for its Surface Pro and Surface Laptop devices, leveraging generative artificial intelligence. Interestingly, this ad was launched nearly three months ago, and it appears few people have identified the AI-driven elements within it.
The advertisement first appeared on YouTube on January 30. According to a blog post from Microsoft Design published on Wednesday, Jay Tan, a senior design communications manager, acknowledged that while the ad was not entirely composed of AI-generated content, instances of “AI hallucination” necessitated corrections and integration with actual footage.
Tan explained the team’s evaluative process for AI-generated content, stating that any complex movements, such as close-ups of hands typing, were captured live. However, scenes involving quick cuts or limited motion were deemed suitable for co-creation with generative AI tools.
While Microsoft did not disclose which specific shots were produced with AI, Tan described the creation process in detail. Initially, AI tools were employed to compose a compelling script along with storyboards and pitching materials. The team then utilized combinations of written prompts and sample images to instruct a chatbot to generate text prompts for image generators. These images underwent further iterations, editing to rectify hallucinations and other inaccuracies before being input into video generation software such as Hailuo or Kling.
Creative director Cisco McCarthy noted that the team analyzed thousands of prompts to refine the output, emphasizing the process’s iterative nature. This level of diligence has made the job more involved, but visual designer Brian Townsend estimates that the team achieved around a 90% reduction in time and costs compared to traditional methods.
This approach aligns with recent statements from Jon Friedman, Microsoft’s design chief, who emphasized to my colleague Tom Warren that AI should be viewed as an additional tool for creatives rather than a replacement. As Friedman expressed, “suddenly the design job is how do you edit?”
Despite the ad being available for nearly three months, there has been little recognition of its AI elements among viewers. At the time of writing, the video has garnered just over 40,000 views on YouTube, with top comments failing to mention its AI production aspects.
Upon learning of the AI involvement, viewers may find it easy to identify certain elements, such as the peculiar characteristics of hand-drawn notes and unusually large objects. However, the ad’s rapid transitions seem to disguise any flaws inherent in the AI-generated content, indicating that with the proper use, AI tools can be seamlessly integrated into creative projects.
