How to become an AI-enabled creative business one step at a time

Read the highlights of our recent webinar, outlining how creative teams can incorporate AI into their workflows and offers practical steps to get started.

AI is becoming mainstream

AI is no longer in the experimental phase. 2024 has seen it become a practical tool for creative businesses, and many are starting to adopt it en masse.­ The big beasts of the creative world are placing big bets on AI:

• Publicis Group are spending €300m over the next 3 years to build out their AI platform

• Omnicom aims to automate entire advertising campaigns using AI.

• Superside are leveraging AI to pass cost savings of up to 60% on to their clients. 

But among smaller agencies we often hear the same challenges come up again and again:

1. Not understanding AI's full potential. Unless you spend time with the tools it’s not clear where you can apply them and how they can help you. But the reality is they can support you right across the creative process.

2. Information overload: There's a lot of content out there, making it hard to know where to start, with very little specific advice for creative professionals.

3. Time constraints – as always, busy schedules make it tough to find time to learn.

The need to act sooner rather than later.

Where is it all going?

As AI becomes more integrated into our workflows, the nature of high-value and low-value work is set to shift. Tasks that require deep creativity and insight will continue to remain valuable, while routine tasks will become quick and cheap, lowering the bar for creating brand content that is “good enough”.

In order to maintain premium pricing, agencies will need to focus on generating brilliant ideas, really understanding their client and their client’s customers, and providing outstanding service. But they also need to embrace AI to create new, exciting forms of brand expression that were out of reach just a couple of years ago. Think mass personalisation, avatars, and other cutting edge techniques.

Starting the journey

Here are eight practical steps we recommend to business to get started:

 1. Create a Shared Vision

Discuss as a team how you want to use AI. Do you see it as a co-pilot to help with tasks, a utility worker for mundane jobs, or a pioneer pushing creative boundaries?

 2. Assign a Leader

Choose someone passionate about AI who can drive your AI initiatives. This person should understand your business well and be capable of getting things done.

 3. Establish an AI Policy

Develop guidelines on how AI will be used in your organization. Ensure that your data privacy is protected and that everyone understands the rules.

 4. Invest in Training

Set aside a budget for AI training. Encourage your team to explore and experiment with AI tools. Remember, it may take some time to see the benefits. 

 5. Build an AI Roadmap

Identify a few key areas where AI can have the most impact and start there. Develop a plan that aligns with your business goals and measure the benefits as you go.

 6. Think About Data Management

Consider how you manage your data to make the most of AI tools. Standardize how you collect and store information to ensure it’s accessible for AI applications.

 7. Encourage Experimentation

Create a culture where your team feels safe to try new things with AI. Not every experiment will be successful, but each one is a learning opportunity.

 8. Review and Adjust Regularly

Keep AI as a regular agenda item in your meetings. Regularly review your progress and adjust your strategy as needed.

Ready to get started?

At Spark, we partner with creative businesses to develop customised AI roadmaps that align with your strategic objectives. Our mission is to help creative teams and agencies transition smoothly into this new era, ensuring AI becomes an asset rather than a burden.

If you're interested in learning more about how AI can benefit your creative processes, contact us at hello@wearespark.ai or follow our newsletter, Spark Intelligence, for the latest insights and tips on AI for creatives.