Some brands have discovered that hating on AI sells. 

Some brands have discovered that hating on AI sells. As some young consumers begin to link the tech to carbon burn and mental-health creep, some brands have chosen to lean in on anti-AI sentiments for connection. Polaroid teased Big Tech in an OOH campaign with lines like, “AI can’t generate sand between your toes.” And when Aerie pledged “real people only,” now meaning no AI instead of just no-photo retouching, it became the brand’s most-liked Instagram post this year. Pew now finds 50% of all people in the U.S. are more concerned than excited about AI, up from 37% in 2021. And DAIVID reports AI ads drive attention, but are 3% less likely to spark intense positive emotion and 12% more likely to trigger distrust. While Gen Z has been mostly positive about AI’s impact on the world, brands are leaning in where the concern is starting to grow. (Business Insider)