AI-generated Greta Garbo appears in SKF ball-bearing advert

moviesSep 30, 202619310

The Guardian critic Peter Bradshaw reviewed a 99-second television advertisement from Swedish ball-bearings company SKF that features an AI-generated recreation of Greta Garbo. The ad opens with a movie-lit profile of the digital Garbo, who asks "Are we rolling?" and delivers lines including "One of my first films was for SKF and now I’m back for my last," before a jokey reference to her known desire for solitude. Bradshaw called the AI likeness "a bizarre soignee figure" and "dull and humourless," likening it to a "Stepford robo-star" and arguing the piece reduces Garbo’s artistry to a slick brand synergy for ball-bearings. The review notes that Garbo did appear in a 1921 promotional film for SKF when she was known as Greta Gustafsson, and that the new AI figure was created without using Garbo’s movie appearances, instead deriving from other images. The article reports that Garbo’s distant relatives might be willing to license the AI likeness for future projects. Bradshaw concluded the spot illustrates why tighter guardrails are needed around AI uses of deceased performers.

Neil Norman And His Cosmic Orchestra

@fubsyshabaroon.bsky.social

“Tap, tap, tap at the window. Bloody AI Greta Garbo, trying to sell me ball bearings.”

2574h ago

Russell Parker6

This is horrific news, no buying ball bearings from me any more, the boycott’s on

Darren Leathley6

"They fell on the floor and followed me around the room."

Simon Petrie (he/him)4

"So I says to her, Gret, I says, nick off, I've still got the ones AI Brigitte Bardot flogged me"

Timo Koski2

Lucky it wasn't Joan Crawford selling lobsters.

Hilary1

Whose morning is not improved by a bit of Pete & Dud? Bloody AI Greta Garbo, Tap, Tap, Tap

QuipperWill1

I vont to be.....greased up.

The Guardian

@theguardian.com

SKF advert review – let’s hope this dull AI Greta Garbo is not the future

192h ago

it's charloh! (it/its)

@charloh.online

hey sorry two quick questions 1. can you specify which things Reanimated AI Greta Garbo previously starred in, if it's starring again and b) how do you live without a soul, Guardian writer?

103h ago

Megan E. Human * free Link

@zombiscribe.bsky.social

"Greta Garbo stars again" No she doesn't A computer program was used to desecrate her in an effort to never have to find or pay people like Greta Garbo again. Nobody who works for the guardian is a journalist, you are ALL AI shills. You provide nothing of value to the world anymore. ALL. OF. YOU.

83h ago

Ray Newman

@raynewman.bsky.social

Peter Bradshaw reviews an advert for ballbearings starring an AI recreation of Greta Garbo. www.theguardian.com/film/2026/se...

94h ago

Quoting this

Ian Waites7

Oh my gawd, Greta Garbo, at my window again, tap tap tap

Travesty-Account Holder 77

@rebussy.bsky.social

As ever, the real problem is the people that told the AI what to (try to) do - and in this case those responsible deserve to be slapped with wet herring until they promise not to do it ever again IMHO www.theguardian.com/film/2026/se...

23h ago

Ian Moody

@ianmoody.bsky.social

Reanimated AI Greta Garbo stars again in a ball-bearing advert. Relatives of Hollywood legend say her doppelganger could now be used for more glamorous roles. www.theguardian.com/film/2026/se...

11h ago

Anna Twigg

@annatwigg.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/film/2026/se... In the words of Lucy Van Pelt, "Stop the world I want to get off"...😬💀

23h ago

Bill Herbert

@billherbert.bsky.social

‘Poor Greta. Garbo’s undead.’ (From ‘Greta Garbo is Dead’ by Bawhoose)

1h ago

meds06.bsky.social

@meds06.bsky.social

You obviously know your stuff as her second role was for the Swedish ball bearing firm SKF in 1921. It’s the AI version of today that I was referring to. www.theguardian.com/film/2026/se...

12h ago

Hilary

@hilarym.bsky.social

Whose morning is not improved by a bit of Pete & Dud? Bloody AI Greta Garbo, Tap, Tap, Tap

12h ago

Jay Mountain Goat

@mountain-goat.bsky.social

Peter Bradshaw's review of a Swedish ballbearing manufacturer's ad starring an ai-zombie version of Greta Garbo (and how on earth this presumably came about.) www.theguardian.com/film/2026/se...

3h ago

CHRSTPHR//JMS

@jameschristopher.bsky.social

Can we agree that the term ‘AI-enabled actor’ can get in the bin? “Unusually…the creators did not feed moving or still images of Garbo into the AI because the material was protected by copyright” Utter bollocks. Stop the world I want to get off. www.theguardian.com/film/2026/se...

2h ago

drs1969 (David Smith) 🇬🇧

@drs1969.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy

The very definition of objectifying a woman. Sorry, the non-consensual objectification of a woman. Reanimated AI Greta Garbo stars again … in a ball-bearing advert | Greta Garbo | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/sep/30/ai-greta-garbo-stars-again-ball-bearing-advert

2h ago

AI & Tech News UK

@aitechnewsuk.bsky.social

🔥 AI brings Hollywood icon Greta Garbo back to life! A new advert features a digital recreation of the legendary actress, sparking debate about the future of performance and digital res... 🌐 aitechcodex.uk/news/4432/?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=daily_news 📡 t.me/AITechNewsUK

3h ago

2 sources

theguardian.comSKF advert review – let’s hope this dull AI Greta Garbo is not the future en.killbait.comAI-generated Greta Garbo appears in SKF ball-bearing advertisement, sparking criticism

AI-generated Greta Garbo appears in SKF ball-bearing advertmovies

AI-generated Greta Garbo appears in SKF ball-bearing advert

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