WPP CEO Mark Read on AI’s Impact: “Fewer People Involved” but New Roles Ahead
Mark Read, CEO of WPP, made it clear that AI-driven efficiencies will lead to fewer people being needed to perform the same media work today. However, he also emphasized that AI will create many new and different roles that will bridge this gap.
Read shared these insights during a discussion at SXSW London, just weeks after WPP initiated widespread layoffs across its media agencies. The company has consolidated its media agency brands and rebranded GroupM as WPP Media, positioning it as “a fully integrated AI company.” Recently, WPP Media launched Open Intelligence, a large marketing model designed to automate and assist media planning.
AI Augmentation, Not Replacement
Read stressed that AI will touch every part of WPP’s operations but mainly to augment human efforts rather than replace them entirely. With AI improving efficiency, WPP plans to charge clients based on the impact delivered, not just billable hours.
How AI Changes Media Planning
To illustrate AI’s role, Read showed a video of a media planner named Trish using WPP Open to build a TikTok campaign for a chocolate brand around Galentine’s Day. The AI provided trend insights, helped identify multicultural TV shows, recommended markets with single Latina women, and suggested food influencers for the campaign.
Trish then instructed the AI to create a full proposal for a watch party series featuring the recommended shows and influencers, integrating the chocolate brand across food categories. She sent the plan directly to her boss without further edits, showcasing how AI can streamline workflows.
AI-Driven Creative Efficiency
Read also presented a 30-second TV ad for cloud computing company CoreWeave, produced entirely with AI tools from WPP Open. While it may not win creative awards, the ad took just six weeks to complete—much faster than traditional methods.
He predicts AI-created TV ads will become standard, and that AI might eventually win top creative awards. Demonstrating speed, Read said he can now create a finished Instagram ad in four minutes—down from two weeks.
WPP has developed 29,000 client-specific AI “agents” on its Open platform, including a “Unilever market researcher” to help clients better manage brand perception in AI-generated content. This is increasingly important as clients ask how to influence large language models (LLMs) that scrape data from social media.
AI and Brand Influence
Clients want to know, “How do I influence what an LLM says about my brand?” Read suggests the best approach is to improve the actual product or service so that public sentiment naturally improves. However, he acknowledges a new industry is emerging that aims to shape LLM outputs through social media manipulation.
Human Creativity and Office Culture
Despite embracing AI, Read insists on four days a week in the office, arguing that human collaboration fuels creativity. He challenged the idea that AI can truly be creative. Using Monet as an example, he said a machine can imitate 100 Monet-style paintings but can’t create original art with the same creative spark.
He also called for government action to establish copyright rules that fairly compensate human creatives in the AI era.
Balancing Efficiency with Effectiveness
Read warned that AI must deliver not just efficiency but also effectiveness. It shouldn't be seen merely as a cost-cutting tool but as a driver of new experiences and jobs. He admitted AI will disrupt jobs faster than it creates them, which understandably causes fear.
When asked if AI could trigger a recession by eliminating white-collar jobs, Read was optimistic, stating that innovation ultimately generates new employment opportunities.
What PR and Communications Professionals Should Take Away
- AI will streamline many routine tasks, but new roles will emerge requiring strategic oversight and creativity.
- Understanding AI tools like WPP Open can boost your efficiency—from media planning to content creation.
- Brand reputation management now includes influencing AI-generated content and navigating LLM biases.
- Human creativity and collaboration remain essential—AI can assist but not replace original thinking.
- Stay adaptable and informed about AI trends to maintain relevance and add value in your communications role.
For PR and communications pros looking to sharpen AI skills and stay ahead, exploring practical AI courses can help you integrate these tools effectively into your workflows. More on this can be found at Complete AI Training’s courses by job.
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