What if you sat down in front of the TV, watched a holiday commercial, and realized—almost with surprise—that it wasn’t made using artificial intelligence?
For a growing number of people on the internet, that simple realization now feels novel, refreshing, and even worthy of celebration. In an era when AI-generated images, videos, and animations are everywhere, the absence of AI has become a feature in itself. That reaction is playing out in real time with the 2025 Porsche Christmas ad, which has quietly become a small internet phenomenon.
On its own merits, the ad is undeniably pleasant. It carries a polished, high-class elegance that aligns neatly with Porsche’s luxury image, but it never feels cold or overly self-serious. Instead, it’s gentle, warm, and easy to watch—so smooth and frictionless that it almost resembles the calming repetition of a Cocomelon episode. If you’re someone who might realistically shop for a Porsche one day, the ad likely builds subtle but effective brand goodwill. If, like most people, you will never be able to afford one, the commercial still works as a comforting audiovisual experience: nice colors, tasteful animation, and soothing music with no demands placed on the viewer.
Narratively, very little happens—and that’s part of the charm. The seasons change. A Porsche is driven through different landscapes. Time passes. Along the way, small visual details reference Porsche’s history, heritage, and design philosophy. These moments don’t announce themselves loudly; instead, they quietly reward attentive viewers and longtime Porsche fans who may catch something new on repeat viewings. According to a Porsche Instagram post, the ad’s classic 2D animated style comes from a combination of hand-drawn artwork and CGI, giving it a timeless look that feels intentionally crafted rather than algorithmically assembled.
What’s really driving the enthusiasm online, though, isn’t just the ad’s aesthetics—it’s the belief that no AI was used to create it. Whether or not that assumption is fully accurate, it has become central to how people are responding to the commercial. That reaction makes sense in the broader context of this year’s advertising landscape, especially after McDonald’s widely criticized AI-generated Christmas ad, which many viewers would happily place near the top of any “worst holiday ads ever made” list.
Against that backdrop, the Porsche ad feels like a relief. One of the most upvoted comments on the version of the commercial posted by Parallel Studio—the animation studio behind the project—puts it simply: “Very good to see non AI stuff these days.” It’s a short comment, but it captures a growing fatigue with AI-generated creative work and a renewed appreciation for human-made craftsmanship.
The advertising blog 80 Level echoed this sentiment, explicitly praising the ad for its apparent lack of AI involvement. The site even speculated about whether “AI-free” might become a selling point in itself, writing, “Let’s see if the trend of promoting things as AI-free continues and how brands will approach their ads next holiday season.” In other words, avoiding AI may soon be less of a default and more of a deliberate marketing decision.
Gizmodo reached out to Parallel Studio to confirm whether the ad was, in fact, made entirely without AI, and said it would update readers if it received a response. For now, there’s been no explicit confirmation. Porsche and Parallel Studio’s official uploads on YouTube and social media don’t mention AI one way or the other. Interestingly, it’s not even clear where the initial assumption came from—it seems to have emerged organically from the ad’s look, tone, and timing.
To be clear, the Porsche ad doesn’t obviously appear to be AI-generated—but that’s true of most commercials. Consider a recent Taco Bell ad, which, like both the well-received Porsche spot and the poorly received McDonald’s one, presents a dreamy montage of loosely connected scenes unified by a shared theme and mood.
That kind of visual storytelling could theoretically be created with AI tools, yet no one seems to believe that it actually was. Nor is it being praised for avoiding AI altogether. The difference isn’t the format—it’s the audience’s perception, shaped by cultural fatigue and recent high-profile failures.
Still, in a world where ads are unavoidable and often unpleasant, fewer AI-generated misfires would be a welcome development. If the Porsche Christmas ad really does represent a subtle push back toward human-led creativity—or if it’s being interpreted that way by audiences—that alone feels meaningful. And if avoiding AI, even temporarily, leads to more thoughtful, carefully crafted advertising, that’s a trend worth encouraging.