Vodafone Tests AI Avatar in New Advertising Campaign
Key Points
- Vodafone released a commercial featuring an AI‑generated avatar as the spokesperson.
- The company describes the initiative as an experiment in AI‑driven advertising.
- Vodafone said it is "testing different styles of advertising — this time with AI".
- The AI avatar shows visual quirks, such as off‑hair and a moving facial mole.
- This follows a previous AI‑generated ad from last year that drew controversy.
- The campaign reflects a broader trend of brands exploring virtual influencers and deepfake technology.
Vodafone released a commercial featuring an AI-generated avatar as the spokesperson, describing the effort as an experiment in using artificial intelligence for advertising. The company said it is testing different styles of advertising with AI, noting the technology’s growing presence in everyday life. This follows a previous AI-generated ad from last year that attracted controversy, and reflects a broader trend of brands exploring virtual influencers and deepfake technology.
Vodafone's AI Advertising Experiment
Vodafone has launched a commercial that stars an artificial‑intelligence avatar posing as a real person. The company framed the initiative as an experiment, stating it is "testing different styles of advertising — this time with AI" and emphasizing that "AI is so much a part of everyday life these days that we also try it out in advertising."
The AI avatar exhibits noticeable imperfections, such as slightly off hair, odd facial mannerisms, and a moving facial mole, which highlight its synthetic nature. Vodafone responded to inquiries about why a human was not used, reiterating the experimental nature of the project.
This move follows a prior fully AI‑generated commercial released by Vodafone last year, which sparked controversy despite its poor visual quality. The current effort underscores a growing interest among major brands in employing generative AI, deepfake technology, and virtual influencers to engage audiences.