If 2025 was the year brands began cautiously expressing their views on AI, 2026 is shaping up to be when they take clear, public stances on the technology.
In the first weeks of this year, brands including Equinox and Almond Breeze have directly called out AI slop and tech gimmicks in their ad campaigns. As anxieties around the technology grow, these advertisers are positioning themselves as genuine antidotes to AI’s fakery.
While Dove came out early against AI’s inauthenticity in 2024, others like BMW and Aerie continued the trend last year. The anti-AI sentiment now seems to be accelerating, with even louder virtue signaling from brands across sectors.
