14 Million Dollar Super Bowl Ad Compares ChatGPT to the Wheel and Electricity.
"Every advancement has a starting point."
In the context of the advertising during Super Bowl 2025, ChatGPT presented a commercial that has caused a stir due to its peculiar creative approach and its high cost of approximately 14 million dollars. The advertisement aired in the second quarter of the event and began with unsettling sounds of a swamp with crocodiles, accompanied by amorphous shapes in an empty white space.
As the ad progressed, vaguely pop commercial music was introduced, while the shapes transformed into a series of images representing milestones in human evolution: from a caveman to the invention of fire and the wheel, through corn cultivation, boating, and the arrival of the internet. Finally, contemporary users were shown interacting with ChatGPT, making requests such as "Summarize this article" or "Act as my sleep coach."
The underlying message of the advertisement is clear: it seeks to position the creation of generative artificial intelligence, like ChatGPT, in the same category as crucial technological advancements throughout history, equating its significance with fundamental inventions such as fire or electricity.
Christianna Silva, a senior cultural journalist, has been exploring topics related to social media platforms and the creator economy. Since joining a media outlet in 2021, she has delved deeply into the dynamics of meme creators and content moderation within the framework of capitalism. Before this role, she worked as an editor at NPR and MTV News, and also as a reporter for Teen Vogue and VICE News.
