The Super Bowl is as famous for its ads as it is for football, and this year didn't disappoint, bringing us a host of hilarious moments. One of the best ads to come out of this year's big game was, much to my surprise, a promo for Despicable Me 4. Yes really, but hear me out.
While we saw an array of weird and wonderful Super Bowl ads this year, I'll be the first to admit that the Minions weren't on my list of possible contenders for the best ad. However, whether you love them or hate them, the clever ad captures one thing that unites us all – laughing at terrible AI art.
The ad begins with a prompt for "comic royalty" which creates an AI image of Steve Carell and Will Ferrell as nobility, teasing the cast for the upcoming movie. Following this is a suite of ridiculous AI concoctions including yoga ladies with extra legs, a handshake with an inhuman amount of fingers and a group of pals munching on spaghetti. As the camera pans out, narrator John Hamm assures us that "Together with artificial intelligence, the future is in good hands", revealing that the AI images are created by an army of minions.
Of course, silliness of that quality could only be the work of those little yellow guys. It would certainly make the threat of AI feel a little less scary – if only it were true. When AI art seems to be creeping into every corner of creativity, soaking up any originality we can muster, it's refreshing to see it being poked fun at – even if it's via a Despicable Me ad.
For a prime example of questionable AI art, take a look at the terrifying AI generated food pictures used by Instcart. If you want to try making your own AI art, check out our picks for the best AI art generators (just watch out for spare phalanges).
