In a groundbreaking moment for advertising and artificial intelligence, the 2025 NBA Finals featured the first-ever fully AI-generated commercial aired during a major primetime sports event. The 30-second spot, created for the prediction market platform Kalshi, used surreal and unconventional imagery, including a farmer floating in a pool of eggs, an alien chugging beer, and an elderly man draped in an American flag exclaiming, “Indiana gonna win baby.”
Directed by self-described “AI filmmaker” PJ Accetturo, the ad was produced entirely using Google’s Veo 3, a text-to-video AI generator. Accetturo utilized AI tools like Gemini and ChatGPT to develop the script, shot list, and prompts, resulting in 15 usable clips from 300–400 generations. The entire production was completed in just two to three days at a cost of approximately $2,000—a stark contrast to traditional commercial production budgets that often reach six to seven figures.
Kalshi initially sought a traditional advertisement but turned to AI after receiving prohibitively high production quotes. The company’s decision to embrace AI not only reduced costs by an estimated 95% but also allowed for rapid turnaround and creative flexibility. The ad’s tagline, “The world’s gone mad, trade it,” reflects Kalshi’s market-driven platform and the chaotic energy of the commercial itself.
The ad aired during Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers, a series notable for featuring two cities vying for their first NBA championship. The commercial’s unconventional approach and rapid production have sparked discussions about the future of advertising, with AI-generated content poised to become more prevalent in mainstream media.
As AI technology continues to evolve, the Kalshi ad serves as a compelling example of how artificial intelligence is going to revolutionize content creation, offering new possibilities for storytelling and audience engagement in the advertising industry.