Why the Best Creative Agencies Will Thrive in the Age of AI

There’s no doubt that AI is the biggest disruptor to the job market right now. And some people even believe that we’ll reach a point where full-scale creative agencies are rendered redundant due to the capabilities of AI. Whether that theory comes true or not remains to be seen, but right now, it’s certainly understandable if agencies in the creative world are feeling a little anxious.

However, it’s important to question if AI is replacing agencies or actually helping them. The answer may differ depending on the agency in question, and in this article, we’re going to explore the belief that the best creative agencies will actually thrive in the AI era.

The drawbacks of AI

Those who are critical of AI are quick to point out the areas where it falls short. As AI models are dependent on the information they have been fed, originality isn’t considered one of their strong points. Similarly, this can hinder AI when it comes to adapting tone and messaging for different audiences and objectives. At this point in time, AI-generated content could certainly be criticised for being too generic when compared with human creatives.

The quality of AI content could also be criticised. While we’re all impressed with what AI can create given the time it takes, the end product could be described as adequate rather than amazing if we were to compare it with the work of a highly skilled creative.

AI as a filter

It could be argued that these drawbacks put poorer agencies at risk. If an agency is only capable of producing adequate content themselves, then it would be far cheaper and more efficient for a client to source an AI tool to produce the same standard of work. Those who want the best work however, will still require the assistance of a leading agency.

This filtering out of the mediocre agencies will leave the better agencies in higher demand and also able to charge higher prices. 

AI: a human-driven machine

As already mentioned, AI is dependent on humans, and this is a key reason why AI cannot simply replace whole industries in an instance. Humans are still needed to drive the AI movement in the forms of prompts, data input and feedback. Again, the best agencies will put time into refining the AI models that they use to get better results. 

For agencies who see AI as a way to cut costs, we can ultimately expect work quality to be hampered and for these agencies to die out. But those who want to refine AI with the aim of it becoming an assistant rather than a replacement will shine in this new era.

The strategy behind AI

AI’s strengths lie in content creation, but this is only a small cog in the wider machine for an agency. Take a TikTok marketing agency for example, creators may be seen as the most valuable asset but without the direction of strategists, content would likely miss the mark regardless of how impressive it looks.

The best agencies don’t just create attractive content, they increase brand awareness and sales through purposefully curated content—and this is an area that AI in its current form cannot compete with.

Strategy requires data, insight, awareness of external factors and so much more. Strategies, as a result, should be bespoke; no two strategies should be the same.  

Final thoughts

AI may one day be capable of replacing whole agencies, but the real question is, can AI replace the best agencies? The world’s leading agencies will view AI as an opportunity rather than a threat, and the future of the creative industry is probably a hybrid one. Where the speed and efficiency of artificial intelligence is combined with human strategy, a physical eye for detail and emotion.