Prudential’s Bold Approach to AI: Hiring Creatives While Boosting Efficiency
Prudential’s brand and creative leader, Bridget Esposito, offers a clear-cut perspective on AI adoption in marketing: it’s not about replacing people but about empowering them. After 18 months of integrating AI into their content supply chain, the financial services giant is actually increasing its creative headcount, driven by rising demand for high-quality content.
Esposito challenges the widespread misconception that AI will lead to massive job cuts. Instead, she highlights that AI frees up time by handling repetitive tasks, allowing creatives to focus on strategic and impactful work. This approach has delivered tangible benefits for Prudential’s 365-strong global marketing team.
Key Results from AI Adoption at Prudential
- 25% reduction in martech vendor solutions
- 3-4 times faster editing and creative revision cycles
- 70% quicker turnaround for first drafts
- 135% increase in engagement when generative AI is combined with personalization on Prudential.com
- 90% of marketers report saving 25% of their time thanks to AI tools
These productivity gains come from a strategic focus on AI use cases that handle lower-funnel, repetitive tasks such as copy creation and compliance checks, while maintaining brand consistency. Prudential’s team started small, introducing AI-powered tools like Adobe Express and Firefly for low-risk creative work, which helped build trust and momentum.
Changing the Narrative Around AI and Headcount
Esposito is clear-eyed about the damaging myths surrounding AI in marketing. She warns against the “terrible narrative” that AI automatically means fewer jobs, driven by outsiders promising unrealistic efficiency cuts. “You need the people to run it,” she says, emphasizing the importance of empathy during this transformation.
Rather than cutting staff, Prudential is hiring more creatives as AI-driven efficiencies increase content output and quality. The demand for content keeps growing, which fuels the need for additional talent.
Building the Right AI Ecosystem
Beyond technology, Prudential’s success lies in fostering strong collaboration between creative and martech teams. Esposito stresses the importance of “speaking each other’s love language” to align goals and workflows. A dedicated director of AI embedded within marketing acts as a bridge between technology and creative functions, ensuring continuous evaluation and education around AI tools.
This role has been vital in securing leadership buy-in and guiding realistic expectations about AI’s capabilities. According to Esposito, open conversations with leadership about what AI can and cannot do create a safer environment for experimentation.
Ethical Guardrails and Continuous Oversight
Prudential established an Ethics Council early on to define appropriate AI use cases, drawing clear lines such as avoiding creating people from scratch with AI. Legal teams became more comfortable as use cases demonstrated responsible AI application. For example, the company developed a multisensory AI tool called Flash that predicts retirement outcomes using aged photos and personalized stories, backed by human moderation to reduce bias and ensure authenticity.
This ongoing human oversight is crucial to maintaining brand trust and delivering fair experiences across diverse customer groups.
Multi-Speed Learning and Adoption
Understanding that not everyone adapts to AI tools at the same pace, Prudential tailored training to meet different comfort levels. The team created accessible materials that not only taught tool use but also reinforced what makes good storytelling—something AI can’t replace. This approach helped convert early skeptics into enthusiastic users.
Esposito notes the importance of having a strong brand framework in place before deploying AI-driven templates or automation. Without clear brand guidelines, systems can’t function effectively.
Looking Ahead: Expanding AI Tools and Creative Capacity
Prudential continues to explore additional AI solutions beyond Adobe’s suite, testing tools like Runway for AI-generated video and Writer for brand-aligned language models. Despite ongoing resource challenges, the team prioritizes projects that deliver the most value and embraces constant testing and iteration.
Reflecting on the journey, Esposito would have pushed harder for full creative headcount from the start to support AI initiatives. The initial phase was demanding, balancing day-to-day work with AI adoption efforts, but the time investment is now paying off.
Hiring Back Creatives Amid AI Gains
Contrary to common fears, Prudential is rehiring creatives after previous cuts. “The demand for content keeps fueling the need for additional people,” Esposito says. She advises marketing leaders to educate executives on realistic AI capabilities and avoid “magic marketing” myths. Transparent communication and sharing practical case studies help align expectations and foster a culture ready to embrace AI-enhanced workflows.
For creatives looking to build AI skills thoughtfully and effectively, foundational training is key. Resources like Complete AI Training’s courses for creatives offer practical guidance on integrating AI tools into your workflow without losing the human touch.
Prudential’s story is a reminder: AI isn’t about replacing creativity—it’s about reclaiming time and expanding what creative teams can deliver.
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