The AI Edge Podcast 1. AI Edge: Where AI Meets Pop Culture, featuring guest Krish Raja
Nov 10, 2025
Krish Raja, founder of AI Literacy and an AI expert, joins hosts Shiv and Myles to explore the stormy intersection of AI, marketing, and advertising. They discuss the buzz around Coca-Cola’s divisive AI holiday ad and its implications. The trio dives into whether ChatGPT could become an advertising platform, alongside contrasting AI strategies from Amazon and Shopify. Krish emphasizes the importance for marketers to critically assess their AI tools, stressing that evolution in skills is essential for staying relevant in an AI-driven future.
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Coca‑Cola Doubles Down On Controversial AI Ad
- Coca-Cola reused an AI-only holiday ad concept and doubled down despite industry backlash about its “AI” look and odd visuals.
- Krish and hosts noted public reaction (including jokes about sloths) showed the ad felt unnatural to creative professionals.
Earned Media Can Outweigh Creative Criticism
- Coca‑Cola likely anticipated earned media and conversation when repeating the AI ad strategy.
- Miles and Krish argued generating absurdity and talkability can be an explicit brand tactic even if creatives cringe.
Plan For Inevitable AI Monetization
- Expect AI platforms like ChatGPT to monetize attention eventually, so plan for new ad or subscription models.
- Consider how form factors will change and prepare flexible monetization strategies rather than locking into one approach.