When an advertiser ran an ad in Vogue using an AI-generated model, public anger was directed primarily at Vogue, not the advertiser. The CEO saw this as a positive signal, reaffirming that the brand's audience demands and values human-generated, authentic content above all else.

Widespread public backlash, from the Pope's encyclical to data center protests, indicates the negative narrative around AI is winning. In response, AI lab leaders like Mark Zuckerberg are shifting their messaging to focus on an optimistic future to regain public trust.

OpenAI bought tech talk show TBPN not for its distribution but to gain positive "media juju." The strategy is flawed as TBPN's audience is primarily tech insiders, while OpenAI's biggest communication challenge is winning over the general public, where the narrative battle will actually be fought.

The AI industry faces a major public relations problem. Its two most visible leaders are Anthropic's CEO, who promotes "doomer" narratives, and OpenAI's CEO, dogged by accusations of being a sociopath, creating a negative public image for the entire field.

The tech industry believes better marketing can solve AI's unpopularity. However, the public's negative experiences and the feeling of being dehumanized into data are the real issues. You cannot advertise people out of their own lived experiences, revealing a fundamental disconnect between tech and society.

By framing its competitor's potential ads as a "betrayal," Anthropic's Super Bowl campaign reinforced the public's negative perception of AI as another manipulative tech scheme. This damaged the industry's overall reputation in a country already highly skeptical of the technology, turning the attack into friendly fire.

The proposal is less a complex political strategy and more a straightforward PR effort. With AI being less popular than controversial figures, the offer is a headline-grabbing attempt to give the public a sense of ownership and improve brand sentiment.

OpenAI's acquisition of a podcast network was likely an acqui-hire for its talent in creating positive storytelling, not for its content. This move addresses a key weakness: OpenAI's poor public perception. The goal is to apply the network's "immaculate vibes" playbook to improve the company's overall brand image.

A growing marketing strategy for new AI companies is to pay influencers for positive promotion without requiring them to disclose it as an advertisement. This creates an artificial sense of organic buzz and can be considered a form of lobbying to win mindshare on social platforms, blurring the line between authentic recommendation and paid placement.