Two and a half centuries after the Declaration of Independence was ratified, a fresh advertisement from Google poses the question: How would the Founding Fathers utilize Google Workspace?

With the slogan “Group project, but make it 1776,” the commercial illustrates a largely hidden Thomas Jefferson in the midst of drafting when he receives a persistent message from Ben Franklin, initiating a heavily Google-driven collaborative experience. Suggestions for revisions are made in Google Docs, a meeting is arranged via Google Calendar and conducted virtually through Google Meet (with all participants seemingly keeping their cameras off?), and the entire project concludes with e-signatures; cue the fireworks.

Naturally, given that this is a promotional piece from a tech firm in 2026, AI plays a part. The fictionalized founders employ Google’s “help me visualize” AI feature to experiment with various animals for the national seal, Gemini takes notes during the meeting, and the founders consult the chatbot for guidance before turning down King George III’s request for document access.

The entire presentation is very tongue-in-cheek (at one moment, Sam Adams asks, “Can we settle this over beers?”), and the promotion of AI is relatively subtle compared to many recent advertisements. Unlike that notorious Google ad where a father uses Gemini to compose a fan letter for his daughter, this one avoids implying that AI could enhance the actual content of the Declaration of Independence. Perhaps the most AI-oriented feature of the commercial is the visual footage itself, which, to my perspective, bears the distinctive sheen of AI-generated imagery.

While viewer reactions on YouTube and Instagram seem predominantly favorable, you might not be shocked to discover that feedback on Bluesky has been considerably more critical. Commenters labeled the ad as “cringey” and “remarkably tone deaf,” with the AI aspect becoming the primary target—even as numerous users, including historian Angus Johnston, remarked on how “remarkably little of this involves AI.”

“Even within a cheesy fantasy joke, it’s difficult to argue that AI serves as an effective tool for political organizing, writing, or human collaboration,” Johnston stated.