Coca-Cola Remakes Christmas with AI for Second Year Running
4IR - Daily AI News
Welcome back to 4IR. Here’s today’s lineup:
Coca-Cola remakes Christmas with AI for second year running—critics aren’t buying it - Beverage giant doubles down on synthetic holiday ads despite 2024 backlash, claims “craftsmanship is ten times better” while five specialists refined 70,000 video clips in 30 days
Lambda lands multi-billion dollar Microsoft deal as AI infrastructure war hits fever pitch - Nvidia-backed startup secures massive GPU deployment contract in what CEO calls “probably the largest technology buildout that we’ve ever seen”
OpenAI makes ChatGPT Go free for a year in India—if you’re willing to hand over payment details - Company’s fastest-growing market gets GPT-5 access at no cost for 12 months, coinciding with first DevDay event in Bengaluru
Coca-Cola remakes Christmas with AI for second year running—critics aren’t buying it
The story: Coca-Cola released new AI-generated holiday commercials on November 3rd, partnering again with AI studios Silverside and Secret Level. Last year’s AI Christmas ad got roasted as “uncanny” and “soulless,” so this time they ditched AI-generated humans entirely—just animated animals watching the iconic truck caravan roll through snowy towns. Five specialists refined over 70,000 video clips in 30 days to make it happen. Pratik Thakar, Coke’s global VP of generative AI, says “the craftsmanship is ten times better” this year, though he admits “we cannot keep everyone 100 percent happy.” The ads air in 140 countries. Social media response? Still pretty brutal.
What we know:
New AI holiday ads launched November 3rd for second consecutive year
Created by Silverside and Secret Level, same studios from 2024
Features only animals (polar bears, pandas, sloths)—no AI-generated humans
Five specialists refined 70,000+ video clips over 30 days
Cheaper and faster than traditional production (one month vs. one year advance planning)
Campaign runs in 140 countries alongside traditional ads using human actors
Wheels actually turn this year (they glided last year)
Why it matters: Coca-Cola is using its Christmas campaign—one of advertising’s most sacred traditions—as a public test case for AI in creative work. The production stats reveal the real economics: 70,000 AI-generated clips refined in 30 days versus a year of advance planning for traditional shoots. That’s the pitch to every CMO watching. Despite the social media backlash, last year’s AI ads racked up billions of impressions. Coke’s essentially saying: this is the future, get used to it.
The “craftsmanship is ten times better” line is doing heavy lifting. Better than last year’s uncanny valley disaster doesn’t mean good. The five specialists refining 70,000 clips is revealing—AI didn’t replace the workforce, it just changed the job from filming trucks to curating algorithmic output. Secret Level’s founder dismissed critics as “haters on the internet” who are “just afraid for their jobs.” That’s not exactly winning hearts and minds.
Lambda lands multi-billion dollar Microsoft deal as AI infrastructure war hits fever pitch
The story: AI infrastructure startup Lambda announced a multibillion-dollar deal with Microsoft on November 3rd to deploy tens of thousands of Nvidia GPUs, including the cutting-edge GB300 NVL72 systems that just started shipping. Lambda CEO Stephen Balaban called it “the largest technology buildout that we’ve ever seen,” driven by surging demand for ChatGPT, Claude, and enterprise AI services. The deal extends an 8-year relationship between the companies and positions Lambda as a critical supplier as Microsoft races to secure compute capacity. Exact deal size wasn’t disclosed, but it follows Microsoft’s recent $9.7 billion agreement with Australian data center operator IREN earlier the same day.
What we know:
Multibillion-dollar agreement announced November 3rd (exact amount undisclosed)
Deployment includes tens of thousands of Nvidia GB300 NVL72 systems
Multi-year strategic partnership building on 8 years of collaboration
Microsoft signed separate $9.7B deal with IREN the same day
Lambda backed by Nvidia, raised $1.7 billion in venture funding
Microsoft CEO recently admitted company has GPUs sitting idle due to power shortages
Lambda plans to open AI factory in Kansas City in 2026
Why it matters: We’re watching the AI gold rush shift from software to infrastructure. Microsoft is signing multibillion-dollar deals faster than it can plug GPUs into power outlets. Lambda benefits from perfect timing—Nvidia-backed, experienced in GPU clusters, and positioned between hyperscalers desperate for compute and Nvidia’s supply-constrained production. The back-to-back deals ($9.7B with IREN, then Lambda’s multibillion-dollar agreement) show Microsoft is willing to throw money at anyone who can deliver GPUs with electricity attached.
The “largest technology buildout” framing isn’t hype. Microsoft spent $11.1 billion just on leasing data center space in Q1, and its CFO admitted they’re still short on capacity after “many quarters” of trying to catch up. Lambda’s leverage comes from being Nvidia’s customer and Microsoft’s supplier simultaneously. That’s a lucrative position—until Nvidia decides to lease back your GPUs at higher rates, which they’re already doing.
OpenAI makes ChatGPT Go free for a year in India—if you’re willing to hand over payment details
The story: OpenAI announced on November 4th that ChatGPT Go is free for one year to anyone in India who signs up during a limited promotional period. The mid-tier plan normally costs ₹399/month (about $5 USD) and includes GPT-5 access, higher message limits, more image generation, and larger file uploads. The promotion coincides with OpenAI’s first DevDay Exchange event in Bengaluru. India is OpenAI’s second-largest market globally, and paid subscriptions doubled within a month of Go’s August launch. There’s a catch: you still need to provide payment details (credit card or UPI) even though you won’t be charged for 12 months.
What we know:
ChatGPT Go free for 12 months starting November 4th for Indian users
Normally priced at ₹399/month (~$5 USD), launched in August
Includes GPT-5 access, 10x higher message limits, 2x longer memory, file uploads
Must provide payment method for verification despite free year
Existing Go subscribers get additional free year automatically
India is OpenAI’s second-largest market; subscriptions doubled in first month
Offer available via web and Android immediately, iOS next week
Why it matters: OpenAI is pulling the classic tech playbook—flood a massive market with free product, build habits, then flip the billing switch. With 700+ million smartphone users and a billion internet subscribers, India represents the next billion-dollar revenue opportunity. The payment details requirement shows the real strategy: this isn’t charity, it’s conversion rate optimization. Get the credit card on file, deliver 12 months of value, and bet most users won’t cancel when the charges start.
The timing around DevDay Bengaluru isn’t subtle. OpenAI wants India to feel like a priority market, not an afterthought. The doubled subscriptions in one month prove demand exists at $5/month. The free year tests whether demand exists at scale. If it works, expect similar offers in Indonesia, Brazil, and Nigeria.
Note: Commentary sections are editorial interpretation, not factual claims