Anthropic’s new AI ad is being called ‘unsettling’ online, even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reacts

Anthropic’s latest advertisement has managed to grab plenty of attention, but not for the reasons the company may have expected. The AI startup, known for promoting itself as a company that takes AI safety seriously, has released a new campaign titled “There’s Hope in Hard Questions.” Instead of receiving praise, the ad has triggered criticism across social media, with many viewers calling its tone unsettling.  Also Read: OpenAI’s first AI device could be a screenless smart speaker that follows you around

The campaign opens with the image of a house on fire before moving through a series of scenes showing facial recognition surveillance, a homeless person sleeping on the street, rows of graves in a cemetery and workers inside what appears to be a mine. Over these visuals, different voices ask questions such as “Can AI be trusted?” and “Who’s going to hit the brakes if we need to?” The ad isn’t really about promoting Anthropic’s AI models. Instead, it spends more time talking about the bigger questions around artificial intelligence and the impact it could have on people’s lives.  Also Read: Sam Altman vs Elon Musk: AI rivals clash on X after Apple's OpenAI lawsuit

Why people are criticising the ad 

Much of the criticism has centred on the overall tone of the campaign. While Anthropic has often positioned itself as one of the AI companies that openly discusses the risks of the technology, many viewers felt the latest advertisement crossed the line from being thought-provoking to unnecessarily dark.  Also Read: Apple sues OpenAI over alleged trade secret theft linked to AI hardware plans

Several people on social media questioned the choice of imagery, particularly the brief shot showing rows of tombstones. Others also criticised the combination of visuals and narration, saying it created a gloomy message instead of encouraging a conversation around responsible AI. 

The criticism was not limited to regular users. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also reacted to the campaign on X, joking that he initially thought the advertisement was satire because of how unusual it looked. 

i thought this was satire, kept looking for the handle to be spelled c1audeai or something https://t.co/4AVBA93Z27

— Sam Altman (@sama) July 14, 2026

Anthropic’s message behind the campaign 

The campaign appears to follow the same approach Anthropic has used in the past. The company has often tried to present itself as one of the AI firms that openly talks about the risks of the technology instead of focusing only on what it can do. 

Some companies choose to acknowledge the concerns surrounding their own industry to show they are taking those issues seriously. Anthropic appears to be doing something similar by positioning itself as a company that wants to build AI in a more responsible way. 

Even so, not everyone was convinced. While some viewers appreciated the message, others felt the visuals distracted from what the company was trying to say. 

Not the first Anthropic campaign to grab attention 

This is not the first time Anthropic’s advertising has become a talking point. Earlier this year, during the Super Bowl, the company released a series of ads that took aim at OpenAI’s decision to introduce advertising inside ChatGPT. Those campaigns generated positive attention and were widely discussed online. 

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The latest campaign has received a very different response. Instead of humorous comparisons, the conversation has largely focused on the ad’s visuals and whether the company pushed the theme of AI risks too far.