Superbowl Makes Sales with AI

The NFL hosted its 60th Superbowl with the Seahawks playing against the Patriots on Sunday, February 8th. While most people initially turn the TV on to watch the game, viewers often remain engaged watching the million-dollar ads between plays. This year, a 30-second commercial spent a record breaking $10,000,000 on its production, marking a significant increase from the $7-8 million range seen in 2024 and 2025. 

While commercials growing in cost is a constant trend, there was a noticeable difference in the types of ads in this superbowl. The usual brand advertisements of Budweiser, Doritos, and Coca-Cola remained in the lineup, but there was also a noteworthy presence of AI commercials. Major AI developers such as Anthropotic, OpenAI, and Meta all advertised their technology, emphasizing their brand’s assistance to try to minimize fear of AI’s capabilities. 

Open AI’s commercial featured Chance the Rapper describing AI with the word “anything,” highlighting that AI has very few limitations. His message promoted the use of AI as a resource that benefits everybody, as it enhances our lives with information and trusted advice. 

Credit: Google Images

AI was not only advertised, but also used in the process of developing superbowl ads for a variety of other companies. Critics noticed AI technology in Avocados from Mexico’s ad, as well as Svedka Vodka’s. Svedka’s ad felt very AI-generated as it featured only animated robots dancing. Some students who want to pursue creative fields, such as Senior Kylie Martin, are worried about AI taking over career paths. Kylie said, “I understand that AI is extremely helpful and therefore inevitable, but I hope that creative media like advertisements still feel unique and possess such depth that human beings contribute.”

Other ads like Pringles’ featuring pop singer Sabrina Carpenter resonated with students more. Senior Romany Alexander loves Sabrina Carpenter. She said, “The commercial was extremely clever because it alluded to the singer's reputation of boy troubles from her songs while promoting Pringles as a snack that is there for you.”

Another favorite ad among students was Ramp’s commercial featuring Kevin Malone’s character from tv series The Office. In this commercial, the company used Kevin’s character to display how their software can help people in financial fields feel aided with the catch phrase “multiply what’s possible.”

Overall, this year’s Super Bowl commercials reflected a broader shift toward AI-driven storytelling, which will only grow as AI continues to dominate technology. While this left viewers with new and different takeaways, they were still able to rely on several brand’s commitment to celebrity appeal and humor to connect with audiences.