Lexus creates world's first AI-scripted ad

According to a media report, Lexus has debuted the world's first advertisement scripted by artificial intelligence. The 60-second ad was created for the launch of the ES sedan in Europe and was directed by Kevin Macdonald.

Creative agency The&Partnership London and technical partner Visual Voice teamed up with IBM's Watson AI system to create the ad. 15 years' worth of footage from car and luxury brand campaigns was analysed. Watson then identified common elements that it found emotionally intelligent and entertaining. The Watson team also fed it data by online video marketplace Unruly to learn which moments connected strongly with viewers and also data from a study conducted by the University of New South Wales in Australia, which analysed how people who have high levels of intuition respond to car advertising.

Using the data provided, Watson created a script flow and outline. The agencies then built a story around it. Even though the AI platform gave an emotional script, the storytelling was done by human hand.

The story is about a Lexus technician who is signing off a new Lexus ES and is sad to see it depart from the factory. The vehicle ends up at a crash test facility. However, the crash test does not go through as the car's autonomous emergency braking system cuts in. Watson determined that it wanted to showcase the value and effectiveness of the vehicle's technology. The ad will be shown on the TV and will also be shown on digital, social and cinema platforms across Europe. Lexus is currently working on a behind-the-scenes video of the making of the ad.

Source: Variety