The rush to prove AI credentials has left brands chasing headlines instead of building foundations. That short-termism could cost them, warns Chris Camacho, CEO at Cheil UK.
Artificial Intelligence has gone from curiosity to boardroom obsession. Almost every RFP now comes with an AI element baked in.
Clients ask how AI will “transform” the work. CEOs talk about it on earnings calls. Procurement teams demand efficiencies. It has become the new hygiene factor; if you can’t show an AI angle, you risk being seen as behind the curve.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth: most organisations aren’t ready for AI. Not structurally, not culturally, not legally.
The result is a widening gap between ambition and reality, one that risks leaving brands exposed, frustrated, and vulnerable.
Boards want proof of progress. They see competitors touting AI, they read the news, and they don’t want to be left behind. For marketers, this often means rushing out pilots in generative creative, media optimisation or customer engagement.
On the surface, this looks like progress. Agencies create slick demos. Marketers deploy AI pilots that generate headlines. Procurement spots the promise of savings. But dig deeper and the cracks emerge.
AI touches every part of a business, but the functions responsible for implementation rarely work together. Marketing wants speed. IT raises security concerns. Procurement wants clarity on costs and ownership, but AI vendors still operate in grey zones.
Legal scrambles on copyright, data protection, and liability. HR worries about job displacement without clear reskilling pathways.
Instead of joined-up strategies, you end up with siloed initiatives. A campaign might launch with AI, but IT can’t support the infrastructure.
Legal flags risks after the fact. Procurement forces AI suppliers into outdated contract templates. What you end up with is innovation theatre: projects that look impressive in case studies but fail to take root.
Are We Even Safe?
AI systems are only as strong as the data they’re fed, yet many businesses don’t have clean, governed data to start with. Worse, compliance frameworks are patchy. Bias, copyright and transparency remain unresolved.
How many CMOs could say with confidence their AI campaign is compliant with evolving copyright law? How many CIOs can guarantee consumer data isn’t leaking into a generative model? These aren’t edge cases. They’re fundamental risks.
What Needs to Change
The answer isn’t to stop innovating, but to build the right foundations:
- Start small, but start right. Focus on contained use cases, like automating reporting or content tagging. Crucially, involve legal, IT, and procurement from the outset.
- Governance matters. Every AI project should clarify who owns the data, how it’s secured, and what happens if something goes wrong. Without this, AI adoption is a house built on sand.
- Educate leadership. Too many decision-makers see AI as a magic trick. Agencies can demystify it by showing its limits, risks and practical applications.
- Breaking silos. AI requires marketing, IT, legal, and procurement to work side by side. Agencies can act as conveners, not just vendors.
- Measure what matters. AI isn’t a gimmick, it’s a business tool. Judge success by whether AI improves efficiency, drives sales or creates measurable brand value.
This is a defining moment for agencies. They can feed the hype cycle, rolling out flashy pilots to tick the “AI box”, or they can play a more valuable role: helping clients navigate readiness.
That means challenging briefs, pushing back when foundations aren’t there, and showing clients how to build for the long term.
There’s bravery in advising against deployment until frameworks are secure, or in recommending a smaller pilot over a full-scale rollout.
The Bigger Picture
AI isn’t just another marketing tool. It’s a capability that cuts across every function. The winning brands won’t be those who rush to bolt it onto a campaign for quick wins, but those who pause, align their stakeholders, and build strong foundations.
The real question isn’t “How fast can we implement AI?” but “Are we truly ready for it?” Because readiness isn’t a brake on progress. It’s what makes lasting transformation possible. Without it, AI remains theatre. With it, it can reshape our industry for real.
