Microsoft’s hidden AI ad saved 90% on costs and time: See how

Remember that Surface laptop ad Microsoft dropped back in January? The one showing people tapping away on their laptops in cool locations?

Well, here’s a secret: AI helped make it. And nobody even noticed! Until Microsoft spilled the beans on Wednesday.

The Genius Behind the Ad

The ad highlights the Surface’s best bits – the touchscreen, the long battery life. But the real story is how it was made.

Microsoft says they used AI to slash costs and time. Big time.

“We probably saved 90% of the time and cost it would typically take,” said Brian Townsend, a visual designer at Microsoft.

That’s huge. How did they do it?

AI to the Rescue

They used AI to create the script, storyboards, and pitch. What used to take weeks now took days. Imagine that!

Then, they fed an AI chatbot tons of prompts to refine the ad. Thousands, actually.

Humans Still Needed

AI isn’t perfect. It struggles with things like natural human movement. The team mixed in shots filmed by real people. Close-ups of hands typing, for example.

AI handled the quick cuts and backgrounds. Think exotic locations without the travel budget.

Hallucinations Happen

AI sometimes makes mistakes. Microsoft calls them “hallucinations. ” Like, weird, unnatural details popping up in the footage.

The fix? A mix of AI and old-school video editing. Meticulously fixing those AI oopsies.

Anyone Can Do It

Microsoft is pushing the idea that AI democratizes filmmaking. Anyone can make a video now.

Just need imagination and a willingness to play with the tools.

They didn’t say exactly which AI tools they used. But Microsoft Copilot can whip up scripts, footage, and even entire video projects from a single prompt. Pretty cool, right?