August 26, 2026
Apple just dropped a new commercial for its Mac mini with the M6 chip. But the star of the commercial isn’t the product. It’s the process it took to make the video.
In a behind-the-scenes look at the production of the video, Apple showed off how a team meticulously crafted the stop-motion claymation project. At various points in the video, the Mac mini is fitted with animated clay car wheels, a robot-tentacled body and brain, and even a rocket ship, each helping to illustrate how the computer can benefit the user. Even the M6 chip is hand-painted on a small piece of paper.
The video is partially narrated by animator Justin Rasch, who worked on Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and has worked with Blizzard Entertainment as an animator for years.
Beyond standard, old-school animation, there is no other technical wizardry shown. This appears to be the point. The video is a kind of totem exalting the craft of human creativity that can still flourish without the aid of AI technology. This is actually on brand for Apple’s long-held “Think Different” ethos. While most major tech companies have been rushing to build competing AI models, Apple has instead sat back and focused on how it can further humanize the funnel through which AI is delivered to humans.
Likewise, this commercial isn’t anti-AI in any way. Instead, it’s a reminder that human craft is still brilliant, desired, and quite fun. Sure, the Mac mini got a big plug, but this is really an advertisement for humanity, something Apple has excelled at emphasizing, even while rising to become one of the most important technology companies on the planet. Unfortunately, Star Wars fans won’t get their fix anytime soon, as Ahsoka Season 2 won’t hit Disney Plus until January 20, 2027.
Cover image via Apple/Instagram
