OpenAI ran an ad during the Knicks vs Spurs game. It was hiding a minigame to win free AI tokens.

During the highly anticipated Game 1 showdown between the Knicks and Spurs in the NBA Finals, OpenAI introduced a unique twist with their advertisement for Codex, an AI coding tool. Titled "Time to Fly," the ad features a diverse group of users enthusiastically developing various product ideas, ranging from companion apps to video games. The commercial cleverly concealed an online game that viewers could engage with, leading to the opportunity to win free AI tokens. The game, described on OpenAI's website as a "cosmic logic puzzle game about orbital rotation," caught the attention of many, with some dedicated players sharing their achievements on social media. One participant posted their "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" screen, revealing a prize of $1,000 in tokens, while others expressed gratitude for the credits they received. Yet, not everyone had the same luck; some players reported that OpenAI had run out of tokens, leaving them to compete for leaderboard positions instead. AI tokens, often referred to as credits, serve as a metric for calculating the costs associated with utilizing AI services. The increasing popularity of OpenAI's Codex alongside Anthropic's Claude Code has sparked trends like "tokenmaxxing," raising discussions about AI expenses and budget management in the tech landscape.