That OpenAI commercial is stupid as hell

The OpenAI Codex commercial is one of the dumbest ones I’ve ever seen. We’re used to ads that make extravagant claims — our truck will make you manly, our beer will make you desirable, our body spray will make you manly and desirable — but even by that standard this one is ridonk. At least you can actually drive the trucks, drink the beers, and douse yourself in the spray. The promise of OpenAI’s Codex is, as with so many of AI’s promises, that you don’t have to do anything.

The full-length ad shows a few different scenarios in which frustrated visionaries suddenly achieve a conceptual breakthrough. They’re all pathetic, and it’s telling that the guy who suddenly tells his computer “let’s make a companion app” is the least pathetic. The one that gets me every time features a young lady who appears to be the only grinder left in her office late at night. A long day of prompting has worn her down. She’s taking a much-needed and long-overdue break in the office kitchen, when EUREKA!

She hurries back to the computer, vibrating with excitement. Already the building around her is shaking. At her terminal, she enters a prompt — no, THE prompt. The one that will change it all. She writes:

Add orbital rotation to game

WHOOSH! We’re going supersonic. The rain striking the windows is traveling sideways. Her own center of gravity is changing. Orbital rotation has been added. To game. Nothing will ever be the same.

We’ve all had incredible ideas before but been limited by our execution. By doubters and haters who say things like “what” and “why,” “how much orbital rotation” and “this is a farming sim,” “you’re an idiot” and “you’re fired.” OpenAI’s Codex doesn’t let your dreams splatter against the windshield of lesser men. It knows your ideas are beautiful, delicate things that must be nurtured and validated. It adds orbital rotation to game.

According to the commercial, anyway.