Five Things We Learned About... The Future of Media and Marketing

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the inevitable next step in the future of technology that has been bubbling below the surface much longer than most would think. 

The development of AI, according to Daniel Hulme, WPP’s chief AI officer, talking at its NextM 2025 event, will reach the level of university professor by 2030. 

“By the end of the decade we’ll have a professor in our pockets,” he explains. “Today’s AI is already at PhD level, but seven years ago it was at toddler level where it was good at regurgitating words but mostly not making sense.

“I think in the next two, three years we'll have a postdoc - something that can apply the scientific apparatus to solving complex problems.” 

The large language models (LLMs) that makes up the AI’s knowledge base, according to Hulme, concerns brands from different perspectives: ‘brand brains’ and ‘audience brains’. For brand brains, AI models are trained specifically on tone, visuals, identify, whereas audience brains focus on how consumers perceive the branded content and therefore allowing for creative processes. 

Any creative thinking about how AI can amplify their work should consider not just the creative outputs but potential strategic roles it can hold. 

However, it doesn’t take a genius to know that when AI is the conversation topic, talk of robots taking over, jobs becoming obsolete, and general apprehension is inevitable. Shula Sinclair, chief strategy officer (CSO) at T&P argues that audiences are overwhelmed with information, and AI can help reduce the cognitive load. 

“According to the latest Edelman study, only 17 per cent of people believe the future is looking bright,” says Sinclair at NextM 2025. “74 per cent abandon purchases if they feel overloaded with information; 60 per cent actively ignore advertising.

“Differentiation is going to help, but there’s a case to say AI overall can help us help consumers lighten their cognitive load.” 

Sinclair uses humour as an example of using AI as a force for good; T&P’s ‘Own Goal’ campaign for Snickers allowed consumers to use an AI José Mourinho to send messages to friends. 

“It’s a playful example that underlines AI’s creative potential. When used imaginatively, it’s a tool for emotional connection and cultural relevance, not just efficiency.”

Despite the positives AI will bring, the question around its influence on workers won’t be going away anytime soon; Dr Laura Weir, WPP’s global talent innovation director, suggests that AI will never replace the knowledge sets of experts: “AI gets us 70 per cent there, and then we need that deep expertise, the people who know better than AI.”

‘M-shaped’ workers, she believes, will become the new norm where employees have general knowledge, particular expertises and creativity as well as the ability to be integrators with the depth and range to bring these together. AI will be the binding agent to assist. 

The event, held at Outernet in London, was an exploration of the next 1,000 days in marketing and media. It revealed four critical pillars for success:

Here is a look at five key things learnt about the future impacts of AI from some of its leading experts:

A Bit Boring

No one ever thinks about the future without a thrill of what it could look like, with constant innovation speeding up the way of life and connecting people more than ever before. But high excitement through change may not always be the right aim for marketers.

Speaking as part of a series of talks on the subject of 'Keep It Real' Essence Mediacom UK's head of planning James Parnum, makes the point that in a world where AI drives speed, brands can be too quick to change course.

For Parnum, consistency is the key to effectiveness.

He argues that discipline across long-term brand building, broad reach, attention and consistent messaging are all crucial.

Calling familiarity a "superpower", Parnum argues that iconic brands aren't achieved by constantly changing, and states that innovation and effectiveness should not be confused.

"Keep it boring because boring brands don't die. Inconsistent ones do," he argues.

No Need To Panic About AI Agents... Yet

In her talk, Mindshare UK's head of futures and innovation, Sophie Harding, adds that while AI is likely to have a huge impact on commerce, workers should not panic.

"We've seen AI go from hype to help for people," she says, highlighting that AI isn't replacing human decisions, it is just changing the game.

"We're now seeing the emergence of agents...smart helpers that can take action independently," Harding adds.

She notes that firms, including PayPal, Mastercard, and Visa, are aiming to facilitate options for agented commerce (where people allow AI bots to make purchasing decisions).

"We can see that AI is going to be condensing the purchase cycle - possibly down into one step as it not only inspires, it does all the research and purchasing in one go," Harding explains.

AI Should Help Reduce The Cognitive Load

Harding adds that many consumers welcome the reduced effort that this could bring, emphasising that it reduces decision fatigue.

She explains that whilst humans will still offer up their reasons to buy something and kickstart the initial query, AI will better handle how to buy most effectively.

"You could, for example, book flights through [ChatGPT's agent mode]... not only search them, it will source them for you, get the best price, and then book them for you," she points out.

Slow And Steady Wins The Race

Offering up rules that she feels need to broken in order to navigate the rise of AI, EssenceMediacom strategy partner Kelly-Star Baker argues that "slow and sure wins the race".

"Human adoption is happening quicker than ever. It took LinkedIn eight years to reach 100 million users, YouTube four years, and Instagram two and a half. But TikTok got there in nine months and Chat GPT got there in two months," she continues.

Baker emphasises the importance of "first mover advantage", with a warning about buying in too late:

"If you join the party too late and you wait too long, it's already going to be too noisy by the time you get there, and it's going to be an even harder struggle to differentiate," she highlights.

Humour And Playfulness Are Underrated

Parnum also emphasises the importance of playfulness and connection in work.

"What drives us? Safety, survival, connections, joy, love... These principles are at our core, and they won't change," he says.

This is also backed up by Dr Alex Box, futurist, makeup artist, and founder and CEO of Virtual Cosmetics. In her talk, she emphasises how she uses technology to play with identity and views it as a medium for human expression.

"Medicate yourselves with people. You are the source. You are the oracles. You are what AI is trained on," she emphasises.