Marketing at the Speed of AI

In 1999, Bill Gates published “Business at the Speed of Thought”, a book that boldly predicted how the Internet and modern information processing would revolutionise industries. At the time, many dismissed his vision as futuristic or overly ambitious. But then, slowly and almost imperceptibly, it became our reality. For instance, newspapers gave way to mobile notifications. The morning paper on your doorstep was replaced by breaking news alerts on your phone. What once seemed improbable is now so ubiquitous we barely notice it. And yet, even as we marvel at the speed of this transformation, we still hold onto the value of quality journalism - a reminder that technical progress doesn’t erase tradition; it reshapes it.

Today, we’re standing on the precipice of another such revolution, this time powered by Artificial Intelligence.

Just as the Internet redefined communication, AI is poised to redefine marketing. But what does that really mean? And how will it change not just what we do, but how we think about doing it?

Let’s start with a simple observation: Every marketing and communications company right now is asking the same question: Where can we infuse AI into our workflow? It’s not a matter of if but how. And at T&Pm, we’ve already begun to answer that question in ways that are both fascinating and transformative.

Take, for example, the way we simulate diverse personas. Imagine running a focus group, not with real people in a room, but with virtual participants modelled on data-driven insights. These simulated personas help us test ideas, refine strategies, and anticipate audience reactions, all without ever leaving the office. Or consider the process of localisation. In the past, adapting a single marketing asset for dozens of markets required an army of translators and designers. Today, AI allows us to create thousands of variations instantly, tailoring content to specific audiences with unprecedented precision. Even the mechanics of ad placement and visibility are being reshaped by AI, which analyses performance data in real time to optimise outcomes. Soon, AI-driven agents may even influence purchasing decisions directly, taking activation to an entirely new level.

All of this is made possible by tools developed by WPP, built on cutting-edge AI technology that evolves daily and delivered through the WPP Open platform. With an investment of £250 million, they’re not just keeping pace with change, but they’re driving it.

But here’s the real question: What does all of this mean for clients?

The instinctive answer is cost savings. After all, automation often conjures images of efficiency and reduced expenses. But focusing solely on cost misses the point.

The true power of AI lies not in saving money, but in expanding possibilities. Think about the leap from horses to cars, from typewriters to word processors, from post to email, or from paper maps to GPS navigation. Those transitions weren’t driven by cost-cutting. They were driven by the desire to go faster, to tackle greater complexity, to achieve more. AI is no different. It’s not about replacing human creativity; it’s about amplifying it.

At its core, marketing remains unchanged. Agencies will still rely on human intuition, empathy, and judgment to craft ideas that grow their clients’ businesses. But the how is evolving dramatically.

When you augment Human Intelligence with Artificial Intelligence, you unlock capabilities that were previously unimaginable. You move faster. You think bigger. You solve problems that once seemed insurmountable.

If you’ve never experienced a T&Pm AI sprint, let me paint you a picture. In just two hours, we can build a brand from scratch and prepare it for activation. Two hours. That’s not just speed - it’s transformation. It’s a glimpse into a future where the boundaries of what’s possible are constantly being redrawn.

The story of AI in marketing isn’t just about technology. It’s about what happens when you combine the timeless principles of creativity with the limitless potential of machine learning and reasoning. It’s about rewriting the rules, not to replace the old ones, but to expand them.

And if history has taught us anything, it’s that technological revolutions, like the one we’re in, powered by AI, don’t just change industries. They change the way we see the world.