Mumbai, Dec. 21 -- In early December, fast-food chain McDonald's released a Christmas Special advertisement, just like many brands do during this time of the year. While most brands seek to evoke warm, festive cheer among their target customers, the Big Mac maker made an unconventional choice.

McDonald's Netherlands released a fully artificial intelligence (AI)-made advertisement titled "It's the Most Terrible Time of the Year," a play on the classic Christmas carol. The commercial uses quick cuts to show people struggling with holiday chores-putting up a Christmas tree, baking festive goodies and rushing to finish their shopping.

With the help of AI, the McDonald's ad shows darkly comic mishaps, from a furious Santa stuck in traffic to...