An OpenAI ad hoax mystery just got a new twist

"A video purporting to be the shelved ad, starring Alexander Skarsgård, circulated on X and YouTube. It depicted the star of "Big Little Lies" wearing earbuds and prodding a shiny orb-like object. The video gained traction after several high-profile, verified accounts - including the Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian - posted about it. Thousands of X posts have since referenced the supposed ad, with some generating over 100,000 views."

"Three tech-focused content creators told me they were approached in early February by a marketing agency called BrandWorks. The agency offered to pay them to post about "a Super Bowl campaign in partnership with OpenAI" in which "a new hardware device would be teased," per screenshots of the messages I've viewed. BrandWorks markets itself as an agency that builds "viral launch campaigns for tech companies on X and LinkedIn.""

"OpenAI execs, including CMO Kate Rouch, were quick to denounce the video as "fake news" and said it had nothing to do with the company. Seems like your standard AI deepfake hoax, right? Not so fast. Skarsgård's reps told me he really did star in the video and sent me a short behind-the-scenes production clip."

A mysterious marketing campaign unfolded around OpenAI's unreleased Super Bowl advertisement featuring actor Alexander Skarsgård and a mysterious orb-shaped device. After a Reddit user claimed the ad was scrapped, a video of the supposed commercial circulated on social media, gaining traction when verified accounts shared it. OpenAI executives denied the video's authenticity, but Skarsgård's representatives confirmed he actually starred in it. Subsequently, tech content creators revealed they were approached by a marketing agency called BrandWorks offering payment to post about an OpenAI Super Bowl campaign teasing new hardware. The campaign continued generating viral engagement throughout the week.

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