Creatives, meet your new colleague: AI

As he wraps up his shortlisting jury duties for Cannes Lions 2025, Arnab Ray, executive creative director at Landor India, reflects on what makes work award-worthy. "The difference between good and unforgettable lies in how deeply an idea resonates, how boldly it’s executed, and how clearly it connects to culture. These are the three evergreen criteria," he says.

Citing Matthias Spaetgens, Industry Craft Jury President at Cannes Lions, Ray adds, “If the work makes you feel jealous—makes you exclaim, ‘I wish I had done that!’—then it’s sure to go the distance.”

He believes the biggest wins at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity don’t just impress; they shift perspective. Behind these lies smart strategy, originality, flawless craft, and cultural relevance.

And therein lies the human edge. Even as AI floods workflows with speed and scale, professionals argue that it can’t mimic instinct, cultural fluency or emotionally resonant storytelling. Yet, it’s forcing a profound rethink of how agencies structure themselves, pitch work, and define value.

Arnab Ray, executive creative director at Landor India.

Sam Altman, the OpenAI overlord behind ChatGPT, offered a bombshell prediction a few weeks ago, which could make every strategist, planner and creative director break into a nervous scroll. In Our AI Journey, a book penned by Adam Brotman and Andy Sack of Forum3, the techpreneur didn’t pull punches when asked what artificial general intelligence (AGI) might do to marketing.

His answer? Picture agencies and brand teams being outsourced—not to a rival agency, but to a silicon-brained assistant that works faster, cheaper, and claims zero credit.

According to Altman, future AI will be able to whip up campaign ideas, craft visuals and scripts, and run simulated focus groups for feedback—all in real time, all for free, and all before you’ve had your morning espresso. “Images, videos, campaign ideas? No problem,” he says. It’s a bit like having an in-house team of award-winning creatives, strategists and data analysts—minus the snack budget.

When AI eats marketing

While this may sound dramatic, it is not as far-fetched as many might want to believe. Altman’s version of the near future is one where AI doesn’t just assist with marketing—it devours most of it, leaving humans to either reinvent their roles or risk being relegated to applauding the algorithms.

So, should agencies panic? Not quite. But it might be time to stop treating AI like an intern and start seeing it as a power player.

"AI is changing the game, but it still needs smart humans behind it," says Santosh Kumar, COO at Innocean. His agency launched its AI Labs over a year ago to move beyond hype and create agile workflows powered by AI. Now, tech and data teams work closely with creative leads, incorporating prompt writing, LLM training, and even agentic AI.

Santosh Kumar, COO at Innocean.

According to the IAB’s State of Data report released in March 2025, 30% of agencies, brands, and publishers have already embedded AI into their entire media campaign processes. Interestingly, agencies and publishers are outpacing brands in embracing AI, leveraging it largely to enhance operational efficiency. The IAB forecasts that the rise of generative and agentic AI is poised to transform the full spectrum of media campaign activities — spanning planning, delivery, and performance measurement.

That has meant rethinking hiring. Infectious co-founder Nisha Singhania says they now seek hybrid profiles: "strategists who code, writers who think like UX designers, and creatives who understand prompt engineering." AI, she argues, is not a threat but a collaborator—one that frees up people to focus on cultural thinking and narrative design.

For Upasana Dua, executive strategy director at Landor India, the shift is foundational. "Agencies that fail to proactively integrate and master AI capabilities risk not just competitive disadvantage, but obsolescence," she says.

Her wishlist of future skillsets includes creative technologists who can translate insights into AI-powered campaigns, as well as behavioural scientists who can infuse those campaigns with emotional insight. "Their expertise in human emotion, motivation, and nuanced connection can ensure that the most impactful narratives are not merely conveyed, but deeply experienced."

Into the new era

AI is also changing the creative pitch. Agencies now walk into meetings armed with animated prototypes, voiceovers, and concept films rendered by synthetic media. "We’ve moved from static decks to immersive, AI-assisted storytelling," says Singhania. "Indian clients, especially digital-first brands, are receptive and often excited."

Senior brand strategist Riddhima Chaturvedi agrees. "Some clients, especially those that are inclined towards tech, love it, while the others are taking time to accept this evolution. But overall, it’s a big shift where agencies can show ideas instead of just explaining them," she notes.

At many agencies, pitches now involve AI-generated manifestos and experiential prototypes. "Pitches are an exciting opportunity since one isn’t quite restricted by ‘mandatories’ just yet," Dua points out. Yet Indian clients tread cautiously. They are intrigued by AI-led storytelling, but concerned about authenticity, deepfakes and erosion of human creativity.

The automation of execution also calls into question traditional billing models. Chaturvedi admits that AI is reducing manual work. So, clients are naturally questioning retainer models.

A bit of both

In response, Indian agencies are experimenting with hybrid models that combine subscription-based AI tools with strategic consulting. Project-based pricing and outcome-driven contracts are also becoming more common.

Yet not all see a retreat from retainers. "Clients know the value of having an agency on retainer," says Singhania. "They don’t just pay for output but also consumer understanding and strategic thinking, which only an agency on record can invest in."

Kumar echoes that sentiment. "AI helps us move faster and automate tasks, but the focus stays on solving business problems with the right mix of tech and talent," he says.

AI isn’t just a production tool; it’s becoming core to strategic creativity. Dua cites examples from Landor’s work on Nestle’s Milo and Tata’s Agratas. In the former, AI helped map experiential spaces; in the latter, employees could generate personalised logos to reflect agile workflows. These are stories told at speed, with nuance and depth.

Upasana Dua, executive strategy director, Landor India.

Singhania adds, "We’re using AI not just to make content but to shape strategy—analysing audience sentiment, cultural shifts, even subcultures emerging online."

Chaturvedi believes AI is enabling not just faster campaigns, but smarter, more culturally relevant ones. It helps agencies tap into real-time trends, emotions, and behaviours.

Innocean’s Kumar says, "Campaigns like Cadbury’s SRK My Store are great examples of how AI can build cultural love while solving business problems. That’s the real shift—from clicks to connection."

This move toward micro-audience engagement is reshaping strategy. "We moved from thinking in terms of ‘one big TVC’ to orchestrating modular campaigns," says Singhania.

With AI, planning begins not with media weights but narrative architecture. Metrics, too, are shifting: resonance, shareability and community impact trump impressions.

Kumar sees hyperlocal campaigns as a sign of things to come. "AI is pushing us from mass messaging to precision. With Meta aiming for full AI automation by 2026, we're heading into a future of fully personalised campaigns."

Cadbury Bournvita’s ‘D for Dreams’ campaign—conceptualised by Ogilvy—aimed to get children back on the cricket pitch and into the sunlight. Last year, the chocolate malt drink offered kids a chance to be trained by veteran cricketer and former Indian team coach Rahul Dravid. The campaign utilised QR codes and AI to connect children with this opportunity with an ad film highlighting the role of vitamin D and underscored the importance of outdoor activity while Dravid shared key batting techniques.

Dua, however, cautions against over-segmentation. "The metrics that truly matter are mass relevance, not simply mass reach. Every variation must reinforce core brand values."

As AI commoditises production, the differentiator becomes emotional intelligence. Variations may be AI-generated, but the idea needs to be human intuition-based. Experiential storytelling and cultural sharpness will define standout work.

"Clients want partners who solve real problems, who think beyond formats and platforms," says Kumar. His agency is evolving into a business solutions firm, fusing creativity, tech and data.

Singhania concurs. In an age where execution is instant, she emphasises that originality, empathy, and cultural sharpness become the true differentiators. In her opinion, the best agencies won’t just make ads—they’ll help brands build meaning.

Ray, having seen the best in global creative work, sums it up: true impact lives beyond execution. It’s rooted in resonance, cultural intelligence, and the kind of creativity that no prompt can fake. In India, as agencies pivot structurally and strategically, the challenge is no longer just about how fast or well AI can deliver. It’s about whether the work still makes you wish you’d done it yourself.