Super Bowl LX, set for February 8, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, is poised to become the biggest showcase yet for artificial intelligence companies, with major players and emerging startups spending record sums—averaging $8 million per 30-second spot, with some reaching $10 million—to reach an expected audience of up to 130 million viewers.
The surge in AI-focused advertising reflects the technology’s rapid mainstreaming, as companies vie to demonstrate practical applications for both consumers and businesses in one of the year’s most-watched television events. Production costs for Super Bowl commercials typically start at $1 million and often climb far higher, with celebrity appearances alone commanding millions.
This year’s lineup features deep-pocketed tech giants alongside smaller AI firms, filling slots vacated in part by traditional advertisers like automakers, many of which have pulled back amid economic pressures and shifting marketing priorities.
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Anthropic Kicks Off the AI Ad War
The battle began days before kickoff when Anthropic released a spot for its Claude chatbot that directly mocked OpenAI’s decision to introduce ads into ChatGPT. The ad highlighted Claude’s ad-free experience, prompting a swift response from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman that amplified attention on both campaigns. OpenAI is returning to the Super Bowl after its 60-second debut spot last year, continuing its push to showcase ChatGPT’s capabilities to a massive audience.
Google Doubles Down on Gemini
Alphabet’s Google is running ads for the second consecutive year promoting Gemini AI, following previous campaigns highlighting Pixel features like Guided Frame and Magic Eraser. This year’s spots emphasize Gemini’s role in enhancing everyday tasks, reinforcing Google’s position as a consumer-facing AI leader.
Amazon Plays on AI Home Concerns
Amazon is leaning into humorous skepticism about AI in the home with a spot for Alexa+, featuring actor Chris Hemsworth expressing comedic concerns about the risks of advanced AI assistants. The ad aims to position Alexa+ as a safe, helpful companion in an era of growing AI integration into daily life.
Meta Focuses on Hardware
Rather than promoting its chatbot, Meta is returning with advertisements for its Oakley Meta AI glasses, which provide access to its AI tools through wearable technology. The campaign highlights practical, hands-free AI use cases, differentiating Meta’s approach from pure software-focused rivals.
Smaller AI Players Seize the Spotlight
A wave of startups is using the Super Bowl platform to introduce products to a broad audience. Genspark is marketing its AI productivity platform with an ad featuring actor Matthew Broderick. Base44 showcases its AI-powered app development tool, claiming anyone can create custom apps. Wix, known for website creation tools, will promote its new Harmony platform, which leverages AI to simplify web design.
Artlist.io stands out with an entirely AI-generated 30-second spot, created in five days for just a few thousand dollars, and purchased a week before the game. The ad positions Artlist’s AI tools as accessible and powerful for consumers, demonstrating the technology’s speed and affordability.
Non-tech brands are also embracing AI. Svedka Vodka returns to Super Bowl advertising after decades, reviving its early-2000s Fembot character with AI trained on TikTok dances. Absolut is also running a spot. Xfinity used AI to digitally de-age the Jurassic Park cast for a nostalgic commercial.
The heavy AI presence points to a strategic pivot: tech companies are capitalizing on the Super Bowl’s massive reach to demonstrate real-world value amid growing consumer and enterprise adoption. The high cost—up to $10 million per spot plus production expenses—raises the stakes, with success measured not just in brand recall but in driving downloads, subscriptions, and enterprise inquiries.
The response to these campaigns could reshape advertising norms. If AI-generated or AI-promoted ads prove effective and cost-efficient, they may accelerate the adoption of generative tools in commercial production.
Conversely, any backlash over authenticity or quality could temper enthusiasm. For now, the Super Bowl serves as a high-visibility battleground where AI companies are betting big to capture attention in a pivotal year for the technology’s mainstream integration.