The abject weirdness of AI ads
“I’m trying to find holiday gifts for my sisters. I open a bunch of tabs, I want my wife’s advice.”
That’s Browser Company CEO, Josh Miller, in his company’s latest ad for its new AI browser, Dia. Consulting your spouse to find gifts for your siblings is a pure — and dare I say, sweet — thing to do with a browser. But the new product he’s showcasing is replacing Arc, a beloved browser that put Miller’s company on the map. Not everyone is happy about the Browser Company’s pivot from Arc to AI browsing, and this latest commercial inadvertently explains why.
Instead of talking to his wife, Miller talks to his AI chatbot and asks the AI to talk to his wife for him.
“Hi, Valerie, I hope you’re doing well,” said the AI chatbot, posing as Miller, in an email to his wife. “I came across a few interesting products on Amazon …” it continued. “Best, Josh.”