AI will “definitely replace jobs over time” but it will pave the way for new types of roles to emerge in the future, warns Kenny Skelton, managing director – media solutions at EssenceMediacom.

Skelton was one of a number of Northern leaders and experts speaking at Prolific North’s ‘Demystifying the myths and risks as an agency using AI’ event, hosted alongside Verlingue and Hiscox on 27 February at Colony Silk Street in Manchester.

The second panel session at this event tackled the common myths and risks surrounding AI with Andy Eva-Dale, CTO at Tangent; Louis Georgiou, co-founder at EM Code; Maibritt Olesen, client director at Verlingue; Kenny Skelton, managing director – media solutions at EssenceMediacom; and Glyn Morgan, partner | solicitor at Greengage LLP.

The pace in change thanks to AI has been rapid from the emergence of DeepSeek to the government’s AI opportunities action plan. But AI is “not a magical fix yet” said Andy Eva-Dale (Tangent). 

The threats are “real” but agencies need to embrace change or risk being “left out in the future”. Louis Georgiou (EM Code) agreed, adding that agencies risk being left behind as AI is the inevitable future that’s not going away anytime soon.

From a legal perspective, Glyn Morgan (Greengage LLP) gave three key considerations for agencies using AI. 1) plan very carefully 2) Be transparent 3) Take your clients with you on your AI journey. “If you use AI in any creative way, to not be transparent is asking for trouble”.

Kenny Skelton (EssenceMediacom) agreed on the importance of transparency with clients and said he has seen how they have been “really inspired” by innovations emerging from AI and agencies can “be the light”.

Tangent received £5m investment for a specialist AI division in response to demand from both clients and prospects to tap into new opportunities made possible by AI, machine learning and automation. With the emergence of DeepSeek, it’s now more important than ever to ask questions about data and how this is transferred.

For Maibritt Olesen (Verlingue), there is an inevitable progression with AI but it’s taking some brands “longer to get their heads around it”. From an insurance perspective, she echoed other leaders on the panel and said “transparency is key” as contractual obligations are becoming more complex such as safeguarding data. Agencies need to get sign-off at “every step of the journey” so it’s vital to have policies and procedures in place.

Most generative AI content is not 100% copyright-free and those rights vary from country to country, added Morgan (Greengage LLP). There is a “lot of risk there” but agencies need to be transparent about those risks with clients, and most clients are reasonable and understand the risk. Agencies should remember these are tools and “you should be using them – they shouldn’t be using you”.

For any AI tools used or built at WPP, they need to go through compliance and legal teams first explained Georgiou (EM Code). “We spend so much time talking about legal stuff”. The repercussions, if agencies are not careful, is “brand damage” added Olesen (Verlingue).

Lawyers are “famous for shaking their heads” but the message should be that agencies using AI should “not be afraid” and exercise “common sense” when using AI,  said Morgan (Greengage LLP).

There are still some people that are “terrified” of AI but as businesses, staff need to be given the space to test, have fun and “disco dance” with AI, explained Skelton (EssenceMediacom). On practical steps for agencies to integrate AI without overwhelming teams, Eva-Dale (Tangent) said agencies should pick a “company champion” that is enthusiastic about it as this is the “best way” for adoption. 

But the hot topic was over another much debated AI risk – whether AI will replace some jobs. For law firms, AI has become a tool that is “revolutionising” the sector and it means lawyers can now deliver more, at a lower cost.

It “will replace jobs” in future, argued Eva-Dale (Tangent), as people are seen as “quite a big cost” and many systems being produced now are also designed to reduce roles. It will need governance but with the same headcount? This is unlikely.

Georgiou (EM Code) agreed. It’s a “truth no one likes to talk about”. For Skelton (EssenceMediacom), it will “definitely replace jobs over time” mainly due to the type of jobs or tasks but it may be that some jobs are “replaced” by other jobs as new industries emerge.

The key skill now for anyone leaving university is “critical thinking”, added Eva-Dale (Tangent). AI is great for ideas but when it comes to creativity, humans have a unique ability.

There are people out there who have spent years crafting a swish brand and “that has to be respected” warned Olesen (Verlingue). There should still be space for human creativity – not be “exploited” by a machine.

This article was written and originally published by Prolific North, and is available here.