Dear Google: Who's Interested in an AI-Generated Fan Letter?

The first time I viewed Google's latest commercial, I thought, "Is it just me, or is this somewhat off?" By the fourth or fifth viewing, my doubts were extinguished.

It begins innocently enough with a father expressing how much his daughter adores Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (she “might be Sydney's biggest fan”). She dreams of writing the Olympic gold medalist a fan letter and seeks her dad's assistance—this is where the narrative takes a twist.

Indeed, this is a commercial for Google’s Gemini AI, and the dad prompts Gemini: “Help my daughter write a letter telling Sydney how inspiring she is and make sure to mention that my daughter plans on breaking her world record one day. (She says sorry, not sorry.)”

If you look closely, you can see how this aligns with the broader pitch for generative AI—it’s portrayed as a writing coach or assistant, particularly beneficial for those who find writing daunting. But honestly, what could be more intimidating than crafting a letter to your favorite athlete?

However, it’s hard to imagine anything less sincere than asking an AI to express admiration. Sure, Gemini may just be putting together a first draft for the father and daughter to personalize later. Yet, if this scenario unfolded in reality, Sydney would receive a massive pile of nearly identical letters.

Novelist and Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast host Linda Holmes expressed this sentiment pointedly: “While there are unique circumstances where people need assistance, as a general ‘look how cool, she didn’t even have to write anything herself!’ story, it’s lacking. Who wants an AI-generated fan letter?”

Moreover, as Holmes pointed out, “A fan letter is a fantastic opportunity for a child to practice writing! If we encourage kids to rely on AI to churn out words because they struggle with writing, how will they ever improve?”

I agree entirely. Despite never becoming an Olympic athlete, there are rare instances when even tech bloggers receive thoughtful messages. I’d much prefer a simple, human-crafted note that says “YOU’RE GREAT!!” over a generic letter generated by AI.

While this doesn’t reach the ludicrous level of Apple condensing human achievement into an iPad, it certainly highlights the obstacles in selling AI as a genuinely useful tool for everyday people.