Meta Pushes AI Optimism Ad With Bowie’s “Five Years,” a Song About 5-Year Human Extinction
Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Jul 23
Meta Pushes AI Optimism Ad With Bowie’s “Five Years,” a Song About 5-Year Human Extinction
1 articles · Updated · TechCrunch · Jul 23
Summary
Meta’s latest AI ad argues the technology will connect people and broaden opportunity, but it uses David Bowie’s “Five Years” as its soundtrack — a song about humanity learning Earth is dying.
The video opens on alarmist AI headlines, then flips to bright scenes of dancing, swimming and reunions as a voiceover says Meta is “betting on people” and that “the future is for everyone.”
Mark Zuckerberg echoed that message, saying Meta wants AI’s benefits distributed to everyone, even as the ad’s musical choice undercuts its upbeat pitch.
The mismatch lands as AI companies struggle to shape public opinion: Anthropic recently drew attention for a similarly unsettling ad, and a Pew survey found just 16% of Americans expect AI to help society over the next 20 years, while 40% expect harm.