Sam Altman Sparks Controversy Over Claude Super Bowl Commercials!

Anthropic’s Super Bowl advertisement, one among four released by the AI laboratory on Wednesday, boldly opens with the word “BETRAYAL” displayed prominently on the screen. The camera then shifts to a man earnestly seeking advice from a chatbot, clearly designed to represent ChatGPT, on how to communicate with his mother.

The chatbot, depicted as a blonde woman, provides traditional advice, suggesting he start by listening and take a nature walk. The conversation takes a humorous turn as it transitions into a promotional pitch for a fictional cougar-dating website named Golden Encounters. Anthropic concludes the ad by asserting that while advertising may be integrated into AI, it will not extend to its own chatbot, Claude.

In another advertisement, a slender young man seeks guidance on achieving six-pack abs. After disclosing his height, age, and weight, the chatbot responds with an advertisement for height-boosting insoles.

These commercials cleverly target OpenAI’s user base, particularly following the announcement of forthcoming ads in ChatGPT’s free tier. The response has been significant, leading to headlines that suggest Anthropic is “mocking,” “skewering,” and “dunking on” OpenAI.

The ads are amusing enough that even Sam Altman acknowledged on X that he found them entertaining. However, his amusement did not mask his displeasure, which led him to compose an extensive critique that branded his rival as “dishonest” and “authoritarian.”

In his post, Altman clarified that the introduction of an ad-supported tier aims to subsidize access for millions of users of the otherwise free ChatGPT, which remains the most widely used chatbot by a considerable margin.

Still, the OpenAI CEO criticized the ads as “dishonest,” suggesting they imply that ChatGPT might skew conversations to insert advertisements, potentially for inappropriate products. “We would obviously never run ads in the way Anthropic depicts them,” Altman remarked in his social media post. “We are not naive, and we understand our users would reject that.”

Indeed, OpenAI has assured that ads will be clearly labeled and will never influence the conversation. However, the company also indicated plans to make advertisements contextually relevant, which aligns with the central critique posed by Anthropic’s commercials. As OpenAI mentioned on its blog, “We plan to test ads at the bottom of answers in ChatGPT when there’s a relevant sponsored product or service based on your current conversation.”

Altman further contested his competitor by asserting that “Anthropic caters exclusively to affluent individuals.” He emphasized the need to democratize AI access for billions who cannot afford subscriptions.

Nevertheless, Claude also offers a free chat tier, with subscription options priced at $0, $17, $100, and $200. ChatGPT’s subscription model includes tiers at $0, $8, $20, and $200, suggesting that the options are quite similar.

Altman also alleged that “Anthropic seeks to control how individuals utilize AI,” claiming the company restricts Claude Code usage for “companies they disapprove of,” including OpenAI, and dictates permissible AI applications.

While it is true that Anthropic markets itself as “responsible AI” and was established by former OpenAI employees concerned about AI safety, both companies have usage policies and safeguards in place. OpenAI permits ChatGPT engagement in adult content, whereas Anthropic does not, but both have agreed upon blocking specific content, particularly related to mental health concerns.

Nonetheless, Altman’s characterization of Anthropic’s policies as “authoritarian” seems exaggerated.

“One authoritarian company alone cannot fulfill this mission, not to mention other evident risks. It is a perilous path,” he stated.

Labeling a competitor as “authoritarian” in response to a light-hearted Super Bowl advertisement feels misguided, especially in light of the current global climate, where numerous protesters have faced severe consequences from their own governments. While rivalry through advertising is a long-standing tradition in business, it is evident that Anthropic’s approach has struck a nerve.