• by Will Ashton , May 28, 2024

Sam Altman's claim that AI will automate 95% of current marketing agency tasks, as reported in a new book called “Our AI Journey,” could be misinterpreted as an industry death sentence. However, this is better seen as a wake-up call for agencies to adapt to a new reality. Like any technological disruption, it presents opportunities for those who seize them.

While AI's automation may challenge generalist marketers, agencies can thrive by embracing specialization. This involves deep dives into specific sectors, mastering the AI platforms that dominate those industries (think Meta for B2C, but industry-specific platforms for B2B), and translating rich data insights into powerful product solutions.

By combining granular sector knowledge with AI expertise, agencies can deliver hyper-customized campaigns and technology solutions that tackle clients' strategic problems head-on.

The right talent to lead this revolution will be crucial. A 2020 World Economic Forum report on jobs of the future emphasizes the growing demand for "core skills" like complex problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity. These skills will be at a premium in an AI-driven future and even more valuable when combined with deep industry knowledge.

Agencies can then leverage AI's data analysis to solve sector-specific problems faster and better using AI, focusing their human talent on the nuanced understanding of brand building and customer psychology crucial for success. Paired with rich vertical data sets, those agencies will be best placed to offer true client-centricity.

Indeed, instead of fearing AI's disruption, forward-thinking agencies can leverage it as a game-changer for product development. With its ability to code, AI can drastically accelerate development cycles, allowing you to prototype in a week what previously took months.

This empowers rapid iteration, letting you ditch unproductive ideas quickly and explore promising avenues efficiently. It's like putting testing and learning on hyperdrive, opening the door to innovative solutions for your clients.    

So the future isn't about replacing humans with machines, but about building teams with the right vertical expertise to leverage AI as a co-pilot. Ultimately, the goal remains the same: crafting solutions that answer client problems. The exhilarating part? AI empowers us to achieve this at an unprecedented pace.

This should be the cause of excitement, not fear, as the door is ajar for agencies to expand rather than retreat. The possibilities are endless for agencies to offer new services and areas for growth within the vertical sectors they operate in. The more they specialize, the better to enable AI to offer completely bespoke client solutions.

This extends beyond traditional marketing and could encompass areas like predicting future trends, product selection, ideal store locations, optimized logistics. The key is to embrace these changes with a positive, proactive approach, capitalizing on the exciting opportunities they present.

The future of marketing lies in a symbiotic relationship between human expertise and AI capabilities. Agencies that embrace specialization and leverage AI will win the future and drive meaningful growth for their clients. A new world requires new thinking.