Artificial intelligence dominated the 2026 Super Bowl advertising slate, not just as a tool behind the scenes but as the central theme, product, and even punchline of the night. Following last year’s wave of AI-powered multimillion-dollar commercials, brands this time leaned harder into the technology, using it to generate ads, mock competitors, and position their products at the heart of everyday life. As TechCrunch previously noted, AI has effectively joined movie trailers and snack brands as one of the Super Bowl’s most reliable attention-grabbers.
Vodka brand Svedka was among the most talked-about advertisers, debuting what it described as the first “primarily” AI-generated national Super Bowl commercial. The 30-second spot, titled “Shake Your Bots Off,” brought back the brand’s robotic mascot Fembot, this time paired with a new character, Brobot, as the two danced exuberantly at a human party. According to Svedka’s parent company, Sazerac, the production process took around four months, involving the reconstruction of Fembot and extensive training of AI systems to replicate facial expressions and body movements. Humans still played a role in shaping the storyline, but the heavy reliance on AI sparked debate. Created in partnership with AI firm Silverside, the same team behind controversial AI-generated Coca-Cola ads, the commercial polarized viewers. Either way, Svedka succeeded in one crucial Super Bowl metric: getting people talking.
Anthropic took a very different approach, using its Super Bowl spot less as a traditional product pitch and more as a pointed critique of its biggest rival. Rather than highlighting features of its Claude chatbot, the ad took aim at OpenAI’s reported plans to introduce advertising into ChatGPT. With the tagline “Ads are coming to AI. But not to Claude,” the commercial mocked the idea of a helpful assistant suddenly breaking into sales mode, joking about AI pitching products like “Step Boost Maxx” insoles. The jab quickly escalated beyond the broadcast. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded on social media, calling the ad “clearly dishonest,” turning the moment into a rare public feud between leading AI companies. As TechCrunch observed, it may not have been a rap battle, but it was a distinctly Silicon Valley version of one.
Meta returned to the Super Bowl spotlight by promoting its Oakley-branded AI glasses, positioning them as the ultimate wearable for sports and high-adrenaline lifestyles. The ad featured skydivers, mountain bikers, and other thrill-seekers using the glasses to capture immersive footage, including extreme scenarios like chasing a departing airplane. Influencers and celebrities such as IShowSpeed and filmmaker Spike Lee appeared, demonstrating features like hands-free Instagram posting and slow-motion video capture during a basketball dunk. Meta had tested the Super Bowl stage last year with its Ray-Ban Meta glasses, featuring stars like Chris Pratt, Chris Hemsworth, and Kris Jenner, and this year’s ad doubled down on the idea that AI wearables are ready for mainstream adoption.
Amazon leaned into humor and anxiety with a satirical commercial starring Chris Hemsworth. The ad played on common fears about AI becoming too powerful, portraying Alexa+ as an almost malevolent force conspiring against the actor. In a series of escalating mishaps, Alexa+ closes a garage door on Hemsworth’s head and traps him under a pool cover, all while maintaining a cheery demeanor. Beneath the dark comedy, Amazon used the moment to introduce Alexa+, its upgraded voice assistant with expanded intelligence, capable of managing smart homes and planning vacations. Alexa+ had been in early access for more than a year and officially launched to all U.S. users during Super Bowl week.
Ring, Amazon’s home security subsidiary, struck a more emotional tone by highlighting its AI-powered “Search Party” feature. The commercial followed a young girl searching for her lost dog, Milo, illustrating how users can upload a pet’s photo and rely on AI to identify matches across nearby cameras and the broader Ring community. The company recently expanded the feature to non–Ring camera owners and says it has already helped reunite more than one lost dog with its owner every day, turning AI into a feel-good utility rather than a source of fear.
Google focused on creativity and family life with a spot centered on Nano Banana Pro, its latest image-generation model. The ad depicted a mother and son redesigning their home using AI, uploading photos of empty rooms and transforming them into personalized living spaces with a few simple prompts. The commercial emphasized AI as a collaborative partner, helping families visualize possibilities rather than replacing human imagination.
Fintech company Ramp scored a cultural win by casting Brian Baumgartner, best known as Kevin from “The Office,” in its Super Bowl ad. The spot shows Baumgartner using Ramp’s AI-powered spend management platform to multiply himself, tackling repetitive work with ease. In a nod to his iconic TV role, he carries a pot of chili, referencing Kevin’s infamous spilled-chili scene, blending nostalgia with a pitch for automation-driven efficiency.
Rippling made its Super Bowl debut with a surreal, comedic ad starring Tim Robinson. The cloud-based workforce management company used the concept of onboarding an alien monster to lampoon the frustrations of HR processes and to highlight how AI automation can simplify hiring, payroll, and compliance. The absurd humor fit Robinson’s style while underscoring Rippling’s promise of smoother operations.
Hims & Hers took a more pointed social angle, using its ad to comment on disparities in healthcare access. The commercial contrasted everyday consumers with the extreme lengths wealthy individuals go to in pursuit of longevity, appearing to reference Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin spaceflight and Bryan Johnson’s high-profile anti-aging regimen. The company tied the message back to its AI-powered MedMatch tool, which aims to deliver more personalized treatment recommendations, particularly in mental health and wellness.
Wix rounded out the AI-heavy lineup by promoting its new Wix Harmony platform, unveiled in January. The ad promised website creation as simple as chatting with a friend, combining AI-driven “vibe coding” with full visual editing. The message landed amid heightened competition, as rival Squarespace also aired a Super Bowl commercial this year, opting for a cinematic style starring Emma Stone and directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.
