How Creatives Can Prepare for the Democratisation of AI
AI isn't coming. It's here. From self-serve platforms like WPP Open to in-house tools at every holding company, clients now expect AI in the mix. That's not a threat to creativity - it's an invitation to make work you couldn't make before.
Here's the shift: you don't need more people, more processes, or more platforms to deliver a great campaign. You need one person with taste, a clear idea, and a lean stack. AI amplifies a focused mind; it doesn't replace it.
The Future Is Singular
We'll see more one-person studios outpace big teams. A small crew with a unified vision beats a committee every time. AI lets a single creative move from concept to delivery without hitting the usual roadblocks.
- Concept in the morning. Test, iterate, and version by afternoon.
- Scale assets without dulling the idea.
- Keep strategy, story, and style in one brain - yours.
Scale Means Nothing Without Taste
AI can produce a thousand versions. If the core idea is flat, you'll just get more flatness. Taste, clarity, and restraint still win. Put the idea first, then use AI to stretch it into formats your client never thought possible.
Treat AI Like a Sketchbook, Not a Department
AI started as a rebellion against budgets, bottlenecks, and headcount. The more bureaucracy you add, the less interesting it gets. Keep it messy, curious, and fast. Build space for experiments that may fail - those dead ends often spark the work that lands.
Efficiency Is a Bonus, Not the Brief
The point isn't to make more or cheaper things. The point is to make things that weren't possible before - new motion styles, interactive stories, living identities, and content that personalizes on the fly. If you optimize away the creative leap, you've missed it.
How to Prepare Your Practice
- Build a lean AI stack: text, image, video, audio, and automation. Keep only the tools you use weekly.
- Create a prompt library tied to your voice and client styles. Save what works; refine it with each project.
- Set creative standards: references, narrative beats, brand rules, and quality bars. AI respects clarity.
- Prototype fast: ship micro-tests weekly. Treat them like reps for your creative muscle.
- Measure what matters: originality, brand fit, lift in engagement or sales - not just hours saved.
Team Design in the AI Era
Expect smaller, sharper teams. Think creator-led pods: one lead creative plus a flexible bench (editor, animator, developer) that plugs in as needed. For bigger shops, design workflows around the individual creator's flow - less handoff, more ownership.
Keep Trust at the Center
Use licensed or consented data. Track sources. Get clear on rights for training, usage, and remixing. Be honest with clients about what's AI-assisted and why - it builds confidence and speeds approvals.
Ongoing Learning (Without the Noise)
Stay current without turning your week into tool-chasing. Curated training helps you cut straight to what's useful for your role. If you want a focused place to start, see the courses built for specific creative jobs and prompt practice:
Why This Should Excite You
AI levels the field. A single creative with a sharp idea can now deliver what once took a floor of people. Keep the soul - your taste, your eye, your voice - and use AI to push into formats and stories that weren't possible before.
The tools are here. The advantage goes to the creatives who stay curious, move fast, and protect the idea at all costs.
Further reading: For a broader view on AI's impact across industries, McKinsey's analysis is a useful reference: The economic potential of generative AI. You can also explore WPP's platform approach here: WPP Open.
Your membership also unlocks:
