WSJ Tech News Briefing – “AI Takes Over Advertising: What's Next for Commercials”
Date: February 8, 2026
Host: Alex Osoleff
Guests: Katie Dayton & Suzanne Vernica (WSJ Advertising Reporters)
Episode Overview
On this Super Bowl Sunday episode, host Alex Osoleff is joined by Wall Street Journal’s advertising reporters Katie Dayton and Suzanne Vernica to discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the world of advertising—especially for Super Bowl commercials. The conversation dives into how AI is being used by both traditional brands and AI companies themselves, the effectiveness and challenges of AI-generated ads, regulatory and legal ramifications, and how these changes are shaking up the ad industry at large.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Super Bowl & the Rise of AI in Advertising
(00:49 – 02:40)
- The Super Bowl is the premier advertising showcase, where 30 seconds of ad time can cost upwards of $8 million, with production costs even higher.
- This year sees AI companies (Anthropic, OpenAI, Microsoft) launching their own ads—dubbed by Suzanne as “the AI Bowl.”
- The fierce competition among AI brands is driven by a “death match for users”—each seeking name recognition and market dominance.
Quote:
"Every year there's a big category that comes out, and this year it's going to be the AI Bowl. Definitely. You've got Anthropic making their Super Bowl debut. OpenAI is expected to air a spot. Microsoft is going to be pushing Copilot. So that's a lot."
— Suzanne Vernica (02:59)
Creativity, Quality, and the Use of AI (Front vs. Back End)
(03:51 – 05:18)
- While AI tools are leveraged for research and production, most Super Bowl ads are still created traditionally due to the creative bar and reputational risks.
- Attempts at fully AI-generated ads are rare on this stage, with creatives fearing the inferior quality compared to top-tier Hollywood directors.
Quote:
"We've seen lots of companies put AI creative out there, and it doesn't look great. In many cases, that's the future, there's no doubt. But right now, people are using it on the back end more than the front end."
— Suzanne Vernica (04:18)
- When an AI-generated ad does make it, brands announce it loudly to demonstrate innovation, but back-to-back with high-art ads, the quality can pale.
Quote:
"If you have Yorgos Anthemos directing a beautiful black and white spot starring Emma Stone and then right afterwards you put something AI produced, [it's] going to be really clear that it's not quite holding up creatively."
— Katie Dayton (04:44)
Why Companies Use AI—And Does It Work?
(05:18 – 07:23)
- AI promises dramatic cost savings—reducing expenses tied to actors, locations, and repeated production cycles—attractive to both shareholders and agencies.
- Audience reception is mixed: traditional creatives dislike AI ads, but mass consumers respond well if an ad leans on nostalgia (e.g., Coca-Cola’s Christmas AI ad).
- Brands experiment with “AI-first” spots (e.g., Svedka’s AI-generated Fembot ad), but so far, the best results remix familiar creative tropes, not originals.
Quote:
"With the Coca Cola ad that came out at Christmas time, it actually tested very well with normal audiences. However, it's very important to point out it was using creative that we've all seen before, we're nostalgic for. ... We haven't really seen AI ads that have done something like completely original that people have loved yet."
— Katie Dayton (06:05)
AI’s Expanding Role in the Ad-Making Process
(08:06 – 09:49)
- Currently, there is no legal requirement to disclose if an ad is made with AI, other than general prohibitions on false claims.
- AI is being used for:
- Writing creative briefs and other planning documents
- Producing draft or “boardomatic” ads for internal use or client approval
- Replacing costly focus groups with “artificial audiences” for faster, cheaper testing
- Major brands feed old campaigns and positioning into AI tools, “training” their bots for eventual creative work.
Quote:
"You can get AI to basically create an ad. It's not going to run on air, but it's something that you can present to a client ... So it's that underbelly that it's playing right now. ... But this technology is improving so quickly."
— Suzanne Vernica (08:48)
Quote:
"They can now do these things called artificial audiences, where they can replicate what a real audience might be thinking. ... So it's really going to change everything."
— Katie Dayton (09:49)
Impacts on the Advertising Industry
(10:19 – 11:30)
- AI-driven production and research are accelerating consolidation and layoffs among agency holding companies.
- Smaller agencies, less dependent on scale, could seize new opportunities as technology becomes more accessible, leveling the playing field.
Quote:
"We're seeing a massive consolidation at the holding company level. ... AI is just going to exacerbate [existing problems]."
— Suzanne Vernica (10:25)
Quote:
"It opens up the playing field slightly, especially when the technology gets a little cheaper. But industry ... is completely contracting already and it will be interesting to see who comes out as the winners in all of this."
— Katie Dayton (10:57)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments with Timestamps
- The “AI Bowl” year: Suzanne Vernica (02:59)
- Comparing creative quality: Katie Dayton (04:44)
- AI nostalgia vs. originality: Katie Dayton (06:05)
- Artificial audiences: Katie Dayton (09:49)
- Consolidation & layoffs: Suzanne Vernica (10:25)
- Leveling the ad agency field: Katie Dayton (10:57)
- Super Bowl ad predictions:
- Suzanne predicts Anthropic's ad will spark buzz for its subtle dig at OpenAI (11:40).
- Katie highlights the rise of “toilet humor” ads and jokes about coining the “pooper bowl” (12:05), emphasizing counter-programming to tech overload.
Super Bowl 2026: What to Watch For
(11:30 – 12:59)
- Anthropic’s AI ad, which avoids mentioning rivals directly but taps into the chatbot wars, is expected to be a talking point.
- There’s an uptick in humor—and bodily function jokes—with brands like Liquid IV and Raisin Bran buying ad spots as a lighthearted counter to technological themes.
Quote:
"Anthropic's ad is definitely going to be one that generates a ton of water cooler buzz because it's this topical moment in the battle for AI users."
— Suzanne Vernica (11:40)
"I tried to coin the phrase the pooper bowl, because we have three ads in ... that all have to do with the bathroom. ... Counter programming to all the techno politics."
— Katie Dayton (12:05)
Conclusion
This episode provided a comprehensive look at how AI is transforming not just the creation but the strategy, economics, and even the culture of big-league advertising—especially visible at the Super Bowl. While the glitziest ads remain handmade, AI is gaining ground in supporting roles and positioning itself for a bigger future. The next few years may see the industry further consolidate, with both risks for traditional creatives and new opportunities for smaller, nimble agencies.