Toys ‘R’ Us created an advertisement almost entirely using AI, showcasing the significant advancements in technology and hinting at its future potential.

Toys “R” Us is demonstrating the potential of artificial intelligence in filmmaking.

This week, the toy retailer premiered a short promotional film at the 2024 Cannes Lions Festival in France, created almost entirely with OpenAI’s new text-to-video tool. Partnering with creative agency Native Foreign, which had early access to Sora, Toys “R” Us claims to be the first brand to debut a film using this technology, which is not yet publicly available.

The 66-second promo depicts a young Charles Lazarus, the founder of Toys “R” Us, envisioning the transformation of toy stores with the help of the brand’s mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe, who appears to him in a dream. Social media reactions to the clip were mixed; some praised it as a fascinating glimpse into the future of film, while others found it “creepy.”

In addition to Sora, the production utilized some corrective visual effects and an original music score. OpenAI introduced Sora in February, touting its capability to create realistic and imaginative videos from quick text prompts. The tool can generate videos up to 60 seconds, featuring multiple characters, specific motions, and detailed backgrounds.

Experts have suggested that text-to-video AI models like Sora could disrupt the digital entertainment market. Kim Miller, CMO of Toys “R” Us Creative Studios, conceived the idea after attending a brand storytelling group. Wanting to do something “fun” and “different” for their next project, she collaborated with Native Foreign, whose chief creative officer, Nik Kleverov, proposed using Sora.

The project required numerous iterations to perfect the blocking, character appearances, emotions, and backgrounds. Despite AI’s significant role, human oversight and adjustments were crucial throughout the process.

Miller, an early adopter of Facebook Live while working with Martha Stewart, emphasized the importance of firsthand experience with new technology, including AI. Toys “R” Us is exploring advertising opportunities for the promo and considering a holiday-themed version.

OpenAI has not announced an official release date for Sora, but it is rumored to launch later this summer.