New paper examines AI and the future of advertising and communications

Also participating were the authors of the paper, Jarred Cinman (CEO, VML South Africa) and Tim Spira (Head of Marketing Technology, Data & Insights, Investec). 

The white paper focuses on four priorities for the sector: 

• Opportunities and risks: Here artificial intelligence can improve strategy, creativity, production and measurement – and the risks (quality, disclosure, bias, IP and privacy) that must be actively managed. 

• The evolving role and shape of the agency: A shift from execution to orchestration, with humans setting direction, judgement and standards while machines assist with scale, personalisation and optimisation. 

• Workforce implications: The move toward a diamond-shaped organisation raises a critical question about junior pathways – if entry points shrink, where will tomorrow’s senior talent come from? Referenced analysis projects that about 7.5% of agency jobs (US, by 2030) could be automated, even as demand grows for higher-order problem-solving roles. 

• Ethical, legal and financial considerations: Practical guidance on policy, procurement, disclosure and governance while formal regulation catches up. 

As she opened the session, Rightford set the tone: “This is an extremely important time for the industry. The document doesn’t claim to have all the answers – at times it poses more questions – but its purpose is to provide direction.  

“This is a global conversation; we are engaging with think tanks and initiatives around the world, and we are all grappling with it at the same pace.” 

Cinman noted: “This is the moment for us to take AI seriously and consider the impact it will have on jobs in our industry and country. One thing [that] is certain is the big tech players are not going to slow down to let us catch our breath. If we want to protect jobs and set standards we need to act.” 

Commented Spira: “The real shift isn’t just speed – it’s the operating model. Marketing is moving from execution to orchestration. Teams need the right skills mix, measurement and incentives, or you end up with output without outcomes.” 

You can download the white paper here and watch the webinar recording here.