How AI Built A Jake Paul Ad In 48 Hours

If you see Jake Paul on your TV screen soon, take a closer look—you might be watching his AI twin. The boxer's media and betting company, Betr, has launched a new national CTV ad campaign starring an AI-generated version of its famous founder.

Slashing Production Time and Costs with AI

This 30-second commercial was brought to life in just two days, a feat made possible by a new AI-powered tool called Waymark Cinematic. According to Waymark's Chief Creative Officer, Stephen Parker, this technology condensed what is typically a 12-week production schedule into a weekend's work.

Parker highlights the revolutionary nature of this shift. "Creating a national TV commercial [entails] a cast of dozens, and a price tag anywhere from $100,000 to $500,000. That’s before a single frame hits the screen," he stated. Generative AI, he added, effectively demolishes these huge budget constraints and the lengthy approval cycles that often slow down creative projects.

Betr's ad will be distributed through Comcast’s self-serve ad platform, Universal Ads, placing it on programming from over 15 publishers, including major players like AMC Networks, DIRECTV, and Fox Corporation.

Inside the Ad A Transformer-Style Jake Paul

The campaign, strategically launched before Paul's fight this weekend, features a larger-than-life AI version of the athlete stomping through a city in a giant robotic suit, reminiscent of a Transformer. The ad encourages viewers to download the Betr app to get in on the action. The spot fully embraces its AI origins, both visually and audibly, blending Paul’s actual voice with a synthetically generated one.

This ad marks a significant evolution in Waymark's creative offerings. Previously known for fast-paced, motion-graphics-heavy spots, the company is now venturing into narrative-driven, high-production-value advertising with Waymark Cinematic. This style, which typically commands bigger budgets, "hasn’t really been possible with AI at scale before," said Nathan Persky-Stern of Waymark. He noted that Betr had previously found it difficult to produce high-quality CTV creative due to production limitations and Paul's demanding schedule—challenges the new AI-powered approach completely bypasses.

Waymark Cinematic Pushing AI Ad Creative Forward

Waymark's platform integrates a powerful tech stack, including Google’s Veo 3, Runway, OpenAI models, and voice audio from ElevenLabs. While some of these companies provide their own video generation tools, Persky-Stern clarifies that Waymark isn't a direct competitor.

"You can’t get a complete ad out of [those tools]," he explained, pointing out that they usually generate short, isolated clips. "It’s about stitching together a bunch of different shots that have a coherent story and style, close-up and pan-out shots, and combining that with professional video production techniques.”

Other major platforms like Spectrum are already using Waymark's generative AI tools to create ads at scale for advertisers of all sizes.

The Bigger Picture AI's Takeover of Advertising

AI is rapidly permeating every facet of the advertising industry, from generating creative concepts to automating roles traditionally held by humans. Meta recently announced its goal to let brands fully create and target ads using AI by the end of next year. The trend is clear: by 2029, industry giant GroupM predicts that AI will influence a staggering 94.1% of all ad revenue.

Navigating the Risks of AI in Creative

While public sentiment may be warming up to AI-powered ads, brands must tread carefully. A misstep can lead to significant backlash, as seen with Coca-Cola’s holiday campaign, which was criticized for its uncanny valley aesthetic. Similarly, a recent ad from video startup Pika was seen by some as more unsettling than innovative.

As Waymark monitors the reaction to Betr's new campaign, Persky-Stern believes the distinction between AI and non-AI ads is rapidly fading. "The question of what is and what’s not an AI ad is only going to get blurrier," he said, "because all creatives are using AI at this point.”