AI Disrupts Advertising Jobs as India Emerges a Global Marketing Leader

Fewer Jobs in Advertising Ahead as AI Shifts the Industry

Global economic challenges like slowing growth, rising tariffs, and geopolitical tensions are forcing businesses to rethink their strategies. At the same time, AI promises solutions that are faster, better, and cheaper. Sir Martin Sorrell, who built WPP into the world's largest advertising group and now leads digital-first firm S4 Capital, shares insights on how India is positioned to reshape advertising and marketing amid these shifts. He also highlights AI’s disruptive impact, enabling companies to achieve more with fewer people.

The Current Global Business Environment

Geopolitical tensions and tariffs are making it harder for companies to operate smoothly. Tariffs have risen significantly, sometimes reaching 15% or more, and these changes aren't expected to revert. Combined with persistent inflation and higher interest rates, global growth is likely to remain below 3%. This means companies must be more selective about which markets they target, moving away from globalization toward increasing fragmentation.

Implications for Business Strategy

With slower growth, efficiency becomes paramount. Technology like AI and blockchain will play a bigger role in business operations. CEOs today focus on managing geographic fragmentation while maximizing efficiency. The business landscape is shifting, and the strategies that worked in the past decades may no longer apply.

India's Position in the New Global Order

India holds a strong position with a fast-growing economy and a tech-savvy population. Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, India's branding and global positioning are improving. While some traditional outsourcing jobs face pressure, India is well-placed to leverage both fragmentation—as a neutral geopolitical partner—and efficiency through its technology and talent.

AI’s Disruptive Impact on Advertising Jobs

AI is changing advertising fundamentally. In areas like visualization, copywriting, and media buying, AI reduces the time, cost, and number of people needed. This will lead to fewer jobs overall. However, new creative roles will emerge, especially in personalization at scale. Though some estimates suggest up to 85% of advertising jobs could disappear, the reality may be less extreme. The trend is similar to investment management, where algorithmic management dominates over manual processes. Productivity will rise, but companies will do more with fewer employees.

The Indian Advertising Market Today

India ranks among the top 10 advertising markets globally. However, advertising spend is about 0.3% of GDP, which is below the global average of around 1%. Indian companies often underinvest in marketing. As competition grows both domestically and internationally, Indian firms will need to increase investment in marketing and branding, especially when expanding globally. This is critical as Indian entrepreneurs continue to expand their reach.

Indian Talent and Innovation in Global Advertising

With its large population and rapid economic growth, India is set to play a major role in reshaping global advertising and marketing. Indian professionals already hold a disproportionate number of leadership roles such as CEOs and CMOs in major global corporations.

Marketers looking to stay relevant should consider how AI can increase speed and efficiency in their work. For practical AI training tailored to marketing professionals, explore resources like Complete AI Training’s AI Certification for Marketing Specialists.