AI agents: demystifying the next big AI leap for creative and marketing

McKinsey recently published their latest research on AI agents: the next frontier of generative AI. It’s worth taking a moment to get up to speed with what agentic AI really is – as AI agents are set to revolutionise how we approach creative and marketing tasks. Let's dive in and take a look at how it’s relevant for us specifically.

What's an AI agent, anyway?

Think of AI agents a super-powered team member. An AI agent is a type of artificial intelligence designed to autonomously perform a range of tasks, making decisions and taking actions without continuous human intervention. Unlike ChatGPT or Co-Pilot, which are primarily conversational models, AI agents can interact with applications and manage workflows, helping optimise processes and improve efficiency.

They are not to be confused with Custom GPTs, which are tailored versions of AI models like ChatGPT, fine-tuned for specific industries or business needs. AI agents go a step further by actually automating entire workflows.

Let’s take an example to bring it to life

We'll work through an example of a personalised marketing campaign:

Data collection and analysis: AI agents continuously gather data from multiple sources, including social media, website interactions, purchase history, and customer feedback. They use machine learning algorithms to analyse this data in real-time, identifying patterns and trends that might not be apparent through manual analysis.

Audience segmentation: AI agents segment the audience based on various criteria such as behaviour, preferences, demographics, and engagement history. These segments are dynamically updated as new data comes in, ensuring that marketing efforts are always targeted and relevant.

Content personalisation: With insights from the data analysis, AI agents can personalise content for different audience segments. They can generate personalised emails, social media posts, and advertisements tailored to the interests and needs of each segment. For example, an AI agent can identify that a particular segment prefers video content over written content and adjust the campaign strategy accordingly.

Campaign optimisation: AI agents continuously monitor the performance of marketing campaigns, analysing metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, and engagement levels. They use this data to make real-time adjustments to the campaigns, such as tweaking headlines, adjusting targeting parameters, or reallocating budget to higher-performing segments.

Picture this: You're launching a new product. Here's how an AI agent could help you do this:

The AI agent collects data from the brand’s e-commerce site, social media channels, and customer surveys.

The AI agent then identifies several key segments: tech-savvy millennials, budget-conscious shoppers, and loyal repeat customers. It automatically segments your audience into tech-savvy millennials, bargain hunters, and loyal customers.

For the millennials, it crafts Instagram Reels showcasing your product's coolest features. Bargain hunters get emails with irresistible limited-time offers. Loyal customers receive personalised "VIP early access" invitations.

The AI agent then monitors performance in real-time, shifting budget to top-performing ads and tweaking messaging for maximum impact.

Why should you care?

For creative and marketing agencies, integrating AI agents can lead to significant efficiencies and innovation. Here’s why:

Enhanced creativity and efficiency: AI agents can take over repetitive tasks such as data analysis, customer segmentation, and campaign optimisation. This allows the humans in the team to focus on what they do best— taking this data to create compelling and novel strategies and content.

Personalised customer experiences: By leveraging AI agents, businesses can deliver highly personalised experiences to their customers. The agents can analyse user behaviour and preferences to tailor content and marketing messages, increasing engagement and conversion rates.

Scalability and innovation: AI agents can scale operations without proportionally increasing costs. They can handle larger volumes of work, enabling agencies to take on more clients and projects without compromising quality.

Where to start

As McKinsey say in their article, this technology is just starting out and there is much development required before its full capabilities can be realised: "just like a new team member, agents will require considerable testing, training, and coaching before they can operate independently".

As you start to introduce tried and tested forms of AI into your team, such as ChatGPT, co-pilot, custom GPTs and image generation, keep one eye firmly on the bigger win of opportunities to introduce AI agents in the future.

Ready to get started with AI?

1: Get alignment on how you want to use AI

2: Appoint a Head of AI

3: Write an AI policy

4: Review your contracts

5: Train your team

6: Identify your use cases

7: Build a 12 month roadmap - working up towards AI agents

8: Make AI an agenda item on your leadership meetings

8: Foster a culture of collaboration and innovation

10: Stay nimble, and be ready to change your pricing and business model