In an era where AI is reshaping our business and social landscapes at an extraordinary pace, the agency world finds itself at a pivotal moment of transformation.
To explore the implications of this shift, TMC’s CEO Tim McCloud and Marketing Director Jess Peake met for a candid discussion on their own personal views. In the following transcript, they explore the opportunities, challenges, and future possibilities AI presents for agencies navigating a changing world.
The AI Landscape
Jess
The EU AI Act, launched in August last year, set a global precedent for AI legislation. It reminds me of the impact GDPR had on workflow and process – AI brings with it another wave of compliance and accountability businesses will have to navigate.
Even though the UK isn’t in the EU, we tend to follow similar regulatory trends. Businesses will need to vet their supply network and ensure AI-generated content is clearly labelled and signposted, to withstand potential scrutiny.
It’s one of those milestone moments that many companies don’t even realise is happening.
Implications of AI on Society
Jess
Tim, how do you think AI is evolving our world?
Tim
It’s the speed of change that’s so impactful. But the real concern for me are the moral and ethical implications. Technology has always driven progress, but when AI fuels a mindset obsessed with quick wins and instant rewards it becomes a problem.
AI is a dopamine hit – fast, easy, It’s addictive, I believe it is actually harmful to society.
Building Authenticity, Trust, and AI
Jess
As of 2024, 57% of web-based text was AI-generated or translated through an AI programme. We run the risk of existing within an echo chamber.
At first, large language models were trained on human input, but now they’re learning from a mix of human and AI-generated content. Eventually, online experiences could become an endless loop – an echo chamber of an echo chamber, that leads to the model’s collapse.
Tim
AI can craft eloquent, mindful responses, but it can also create content that can lacks sincerity. We ask AI to manipulate our words, to make us sound more sophisticated, but are we ultimately polishing out the imperfect that makes us all unique? Our uniqueness should be celebrated. Shouldn’t we learn to find the time to read more, so we can learn to write and express ourselves? Shouldn’t we allow our images to be truthful, celebrating life instead of creating a fake version of ourselves and brands?
Jess
We live in a time where we crave authenticity, yet we’re constantly drawn to the next piece of technology, which while convenient, only isolates us further.
Tim
It’s crazy to think that people are willingly plugging themselves into The Matrix.
AI has a place – automation has a place – but we need to first ask ourselves: who are we, and what do we value?
How Do Marketers Balance AI and Authenticity?
Jess
For the next generation of marketers, working in a digital world that increasingly feels artificial, how do they build authentic connections?
Tim
Empathy. It’s got to be empathy. You must genuinely care and want to make a difference.
Perfection isn’t the goal – connection is. I think if you care about what you’re doing and the audiences that you’re trying to reach, showing and being part of a slightly more imperfect world is actually a better-connected world, and people will genuinely feel that.
Jess
It’s also about knowing your audience well enough to engage them at the right moment in their decision-making journey.
Tim
It comes down to professional pride. We face time and budget pressures, but at some point, we have to choose quality over convenience. We should strive do our jobs properly and to an excellent standard.
Efficiency matters, but in creative industries such as ours, you can’t rush the process. We should have pride and value a process that involves creating solutions that will communicate and touch people’s lives and make them think differently and act differently.
AI tools that focus on efficiency over quality ultimately weaken a brand’s reputation and experience.
Closing Thoughts
Tim
My position isn’t anti-AI at all. But I do think we need to approach it with caution, understanding its long-term impact.
Jess
Absolutely. At TMC, we’re incredibly fortunate to work with organisations that harness the power of AI to create positive impact – particularly in healthcare and logistics. They widely integrate these new technologies for the betterment of their users and wider society and we are very proud to support that.
But ultimately, as a strategic communications business, we have strong opinions about how AI should be used creatively.
Tim
Exactly. AI should be used to enhance lives, not just to convenience them. A medical AI that improves diagnosis? A system that reduces environmental impact? That’s where technology should be embraced.
The question is: how do we use it to build a better society?
Share this