The concept of a sociopolitical “culture war” has become so expansive that it feels, at times, reductive. It’s both broad enough to cover everything, from coffee chains to cookie commercials, yet predictable enough for the factions’ opinions to fall roughly along well-worn partisan lines. But now, a new kind of culture war is brewing among the creative class — one that cuts deeper into professional and personal identities.

At its center is debate over the use of generative artificial intelligence, the technology behind tools like ChatGPT, DALL-E and MidJourney. While some hail AI as a breakthrough, enabling near click-of-the-button speed and innovation in industries ranging from marketing to medicine, many see it as a profound threat to creative industries.

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The debate over AI’s role in creative work has surfaced in unexpected ways over the past year and reached a fever pitch in recent months. Last fall, Zelda Williams, daughter of the late Robin Williams, denounced AI recreations of her father’s voice, calling them exploitative and made without consent. Over the summer, the Grammy-winning Tedeschi Trucks Band apologized to fans after discovering that one of their tour posters — sold as merchandise — had been generated by AI. In October, CNN reported on the rise of AI-powered virtual K-pop bands in South Korea, while some U.S.-based crowdfunding platforms introduced rules banning campaigns relying entirely on AI-generated content.

Amid this growing divide, Coca-Cola entered the conversation with a bold move: the release of a new Christmas commercial created using generative AI, thrusting the global brand into the heart of this........

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