Toys ‘R’ Us AI-Generated Ad Controversy, Explained
What is Sora in the context of the Toys "R" Us ad?
Sora is a new text-to-video tool developed by OpenAI. It was used to create the Toys "R" Us ad, making it the first brand film to utilize this technology. Sora has not yet been released to the public, but AI enthusiasts have been experimenting with similar video generators3. The Toys "R" Us ad, which tells the origin story of the company's founder Charles Lazarus and its mascot Geoffrey the Giraffe, showcases the capabilities and limitations of AI-generated video technology2.
Who is Charles Lazarus in relation to Toys "R" Us?
Charles Lazarus was the founder of Toys "R" Us, a prominent American toy retailer. Born in 1923, Lazarus opened his first store, Children's Bargain Town, in Washington D.C. in 1948. He later opened the first Toys "R" Us store in 1957, revolutionizing the toy retail industry with his supermarket-style approach to toy selling. Lazarus served as the company's CEO until 1994 and remained chairman until 1998. He passed away in 2018.
How does the ad depict Charles Lazarus's inspiration?
The AI-generated Toys "R" Us ad depicts Charles Lazarus as being inspired to create the brand after experiencing a vivid dream. In the dream, young Charles sees shelves filled with toys, which leads him to establish the toy store chain. However, the ad has been criticized for its unsettling and inconsistent character models, raising concerns about the use of AI in creating commercial content.