# SKF uses AI-generated Greta Garbo in ball-bearing advert

Digest AI · Marketing & Small Business · published 2026-09-30T05:00:12Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/skf-uses-ai-generated-greta-garbo-in-99second-tv-ad

## Summary

Greta Garbo’s likeness was revived for a 99‑second ball‑bearing commercial by Swedish industrial firm SKF. The AI version was assembled with text prompts using China’s Seedream model and Google’s Nano Banana Pro, then overlaid on a human actor and voiced with audio reconstructed from an early film recording.

Craig Reisfield, one of three relatives who manage Garbo’s estate, said he was “flabbergasted” by the result and hinted the family would not rule out future AI‑enabled film roles. He noted the uncanny realism of the AI‑generated mannerisms, dress and voice, while critics have called the practice “ghostploitation”. The advert marks the first moving‑image use of Garbo’s AI likeness after posthumous fashion collaborations with Ferragamo, Gucci and Louis Vuitton.

The piece sits amid a growing wave of AI‑driven filmmaking, with veteran directors and new AI‑native creators experimenting with synthetic actors. It highlights both commercial potential for marketers and ethical debates over consent, copyright and the line between homage and exploitation.

## Key points

- SKF released a 99‑second advert featuring an AI‑generated Greta Garbo created with Seedream and Google’s Nano Banana Pro.
- The likeness was built from text prompts only, avoiding copyrighted images, and overlaid on a human actor; Garbo’s voice was reconstructed from an early film recording.
- Relatives, including Craig Reisfield, said they were “flabbergasted” and see potential for future AI‑enabled film roles, while critics label the practice “ghostploitation.”

## Why it matters

Shows how AI can revive deceased celebrities for commercial ads, opening new revenue streams but raising ethical questions about consent and copyright, influencing future marketing and entertainment practices.

## Sources

1. [Reanimated AI Greta Garbo stars again ... in a ball-bearing advert](https://theguardian.com/film/2026/sep/30/ai-greta-garbo-stars-again-ball-bearing-advert) (The Guardian AI, 2026-09-30)
2. [SKF advert review – let’s hope this dull AI Greta Garbo is not the future](https://theguardian.com/film/2026/sep/30/skf-advert-review-lets-hope-this-dull-ai-greta-garbo-is-not-the-future) (The Guardian AI, 2026-09-30)

## Cite

Digest AI, "SKF uses AI-generated Greta Garbo in ball-bearing advert", 30 September 2026, https://digestai.news/story/skf-uses-ai-generated-greta-garbo-in-99second-tv-ad

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