When you prompt the mighty ChatGPT about the possibilities of AI replacing the service sector, or marketing specifically, it will answer timidly:

»Perhaps, in 10 years, AI could account for a notable portion of routine marketing tasks, such as data analysis and campaign optimization, but humans would still play a crucial role in driving strategy, creativity, and relationship-building efforts.«  — ChatGPT

If you prompt its CEO, however, the picture becomes more stark. In a statement that transpired just weeks ago, Sam Altman said, that in 5 to 7 years,

»95% of what marketers use agencies, strategists, and creative professionals for today will easily, near instantly and at almost no cost be handled by the AI — and the AI will likely be able to test the creative against real or synthetic customer focus groups for predicting results and optimizing. Again, all free, instant, and nearly perfect. Images, videos, campaign ideas? No problem.« — Sam Altman

Predictably, the outcry from agency professionals around the world was pearl-clutching. 95% of agency work replaced, and so soon? That’s like the weatherman sombrely shaking his head and forecasting ‹doomsday›.

But is it really?

To the presumed takeover of our robot overlords, we at CRU say, Bring it on! We can’t wait for the AI revolution to fully play out, and we believe the upside is exponentially greater than the risks that it entails.

It is our conviction that, under its many trimmings, the creative business boils down to originality and leadership. They form the cornerstone from which we can build the agencies of tomorrow. 

90% of Everything is Bullshit

95% of our industry to be automated sounds terrifying – until you remember that 90% of everything is bullshit (to quote the great Brad Frost).

No doubt about it: the ‹Information Age› has turned into the ‹Enshittification Age› with islands of relevance in an ocean of bullshit. For 20+ years we’ve been optimising our contributions for machines (instead of the other way round) and ended up with ‹Performance Marketing› made for robots.

Yes, things are getting even worse right now. Just scroll through LinkedIn and try to actually reach an interesting article!  But we believe that, in time, AI will help make it better. Even though, in the near future, the enshittification will become even shittier. At some point, however, we will be standing up and, just like Will Hunting, eliminate the bullshit that surrounds us.  

The Work of Art in the Age of Artificial Intelligent Production

We’ve been here before, you know. The printing press, photography, the internet… Every media revolution was followed by the surefire predictions of the death of the creative industries. But the funeral never materialised.

Let’s not be naive: the face of the creative industry is about to change drastically. But we strongly believe that there will always be room for sheer creativity. For originality. For craft.

Access to a tennis racquet doesn’t turn you into Serena Williams (believe us - we tried), just like the much-awaited Sora won’t automatically turn you into Christopher Nolan.

If this sounds quaint, or even snobby, it isn’t meant to be. Giving more people access to creative tools is guaranteed to improve the creative world, just like Serena improved tennis. And we’re all here for it.

Everyone has to be a Creative Director

Of course our craft is changing as we speak. But again, we believe it will be for the better. At CRU, we actively encourage the use of ChatGPT, Midjourney, the magnificent Relume wireframe library, or the creative tool Springboards.ai.

The answer cannot be to close our eyes and pull the plug. Instead, all creatives need to become two things, on top of being great at their craft: creative directors and consultants.

Having artificial deputies and ‹colleagues› can only work if we are able to (a), judge and improve on their output, and (b), provide our clients with a custom-made sandbox so that they can use it as  well.

Not every creative will happily take to this, especially the consulting part. But it is a wonderful role to play, and a worthwhile contribution to be making.

However, for the agencies, this will require a change of heart that the industry has not exactly been known for: investing in their employees.

We have to educate and empower them about how to use AI as a helper, and when to go with their own guts. We have to let them focus on their very own strengths so that they — and we — can navigate this new era confidently. Who knows what our creatives can come up with once brainless format adaptions can be automated!

There is no stopping the AI revolution. By and large, the shifts ahead of us ought to be benign. As for the hurtful part, well, the trick is not minding that it hurts. So let’s stop worrying and learn to love a business model that is based on what is essential to our profession.

Because if the 5% AI is leaving to us are about originality and leadership, then those 5% are the only ones that ever mattered.