OpenAI CEO Sam Altman faced public criticism after a lengthy post on X targeting Anthropic over its upcoming Super Bowl advertisements. The ads, which mock the introduction of adverts to ChatGPT, were described by Altman as “dishonest” and “deceptive,” and he accused Anthropic of using “doublespeak.”
First, the good part of the Anthropic ads: they are funny, and I laughed.
But I wonder why Anthropic would go for something so clearly dishonest. Our most important principle for ads says that we won’t do exactly this; we would obviously never run ads in the way Anthropic…
— Sam Altman (@sama) February 4, 2026
While just recently Anthropic confirmed its Claude will remain ads-free, Altman defended ChatGPT’s new ad-supported model, saying it supports “free access” and “agency” for users, contrasting this with Anthropic’s subscription-based approach. “Anthropic serves an expensive product to rich people,” he wrote, while OpenAI aims to “bring AI to billions of people who can’t pay for subscriptions.”
Social Media Reacts
The post, totaling 420 words, drew widespread ridicule online. Commenters likened it to “the digital equivalent of a toddler throwing a tantrum” and criticized Altman for responding to playful satire with a lengthy essay. Nikita Bier, head of product at X, advised simply: “Never respond to playful humour with an essay.”
Many social media users also noted that the viral attention of Anthropic’s ads stems in part from declining public trust in OpenAI. “The reason Anthropic’s satirical ads went viral is precisely because public trust in you and OpenAI has already hit rock bottom,” one comment read, reflecting growing skepticism toward major AI providers.
Anthropic’s Super Bowl Strategy
Anthropic’s advertisements, airing during the Super Bowl on February 8, use humor to critique how adverts could affect AI chat experiences. One spot features a man consulting a therapist about communicating with his mother, only for the AI to unexpectedly veer into a dating-service scenario. The ad concludes with the tagline: “Ads are coming to AI. But not to Claude.” The Super Bowl placement underscores the seriousness of Anthropic’s marketing effort.
Experts note that a 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl can cost up to $10 million, highlighting both the visibility and financial commitment involved. While expensive, this investment is modest compared to the hundreds of billions of dollars AI companies are investing in model development, infrastructure, and research.