Tags
Are you even in marketing if you haven't spent hours talking about AI?
It’s understandable. Few technologies have arrived with as much hype, opportunity and uncertainty as AI. Almost overnight, marketers have found themselves navigating new ways of working and new answers to historical marketing questions. Keeping up can feel like a full-time job in itself.
To cut through the noise and get their expert two pence, Head of IDHL Marketing, Faye Neal, brought together leaders from across our partner and agency ecosystem: MTM Managing Director Wesley Maynard, Creative Director Christian Laakvand, Shopify Lead Partner Solutions Engineer Yael Weiss, and IDHL CEO Lewis Sellers.
Their honest conversation offers a refreshing perspective on what it feels like to work through the fastest period of change all four have experienced to date. Rather than chasing headlines or hyping the newest tools, they explore AI through the lens of people using it every day.
The pace of change
AI didn’t just arrive, it accelerated everything. It’s creating both a sense of opportunity and overwhelm, raising questions about how businesses can embrace experimentation without getting distracted by every new AI announcement.
Our experts’ assessment was unequivocal: innovation begins at home. Education and adoption need to happen internally before communicating any AI tools as a product externally.
Clients, AI and expectations
Our experts are constantly being asked, "What should we do? What should we use?". But there's no one-size-fits-all answer with AI constantly rewriting client expectations.
The panel turns to the ever-growing gap between AI perception and reality: the concerns around balancing efficiency with creative authenticity. The discussion explores why clients want partners who are embracing AI but not replacing expertise. However, simply talking about technology isn’t enough to give your business an advantage: clients expect proof points, outcomes and measurable results.
What “good” looks like now
We’ve established that AI is moving fast, but when everyone has access to the same tools, finding an edge for your business can become an obstacle. This is where strategic expertise becomes the differentiating factor.
AI is transforming creative and performance workflows by creating more time for strategic thinking and experimentation. But IDHL's position holds firm: people-led, underpinned by technology and AI.
AI is empowering marketers to focus on the work that delivers the greatest impact, amplifying the value of human creativity and expertise.
What will feel normal in 18 months
We’re already seeing AI becoming a part of everyday work, and it won’t be long before everyone will have some kind of AI empowerment before starting their day. Our experts theorise about a future where automation is embedded into daily routines and business processes, tackling common fears around job displacement and AI literacy.
The main lesson to take away? Human collaboration, creativity, and judgement will remain essential.
Watch the episode to hear the full conversation and discover how leading digital practitioners are navigating the biggest shift in digital marketing in decades.
