In the era of AI, our role will become more, not less, important: Cindy Rose

WPP CEO Cindy Rose has made a strong case for artificial intelligence as a growth catalyst rather than a threat to the marketing industry, arguing that AI will increase the value of agencies as the ecosystem becomes more fragmented, complex and commerce-led.

“Our industry is experiencing dramatic transformation. With the rapid diffusion of AI, we’re not just seeing incremental shifts in consumer behaviour, we’re seeing a complete metamorphosis of the commercial ecosystem. Brands are discovered and launched in new ways. Media is everywhere and always on. Commerce is the new organising principle, with every interaction becoming measurable and shoppable. Trust is scarce and must be earned daily. And as AI-generated content floods the world, demand is increasing for verifiable human creativity – judgement, taste, empathy and craft – as key brand differentiators,” WPP’s Annual report 2025 quotes Rose as saying.

“As AI continues to accelerate at pace, many question whether it will be value-destructive for our sector. My view is clear: AI will be a net positive for our sector, and for WPP. AI unlocks human capacity, which can be reinvested in more value-generative activities. Every client is on an AI transformation journey, and WPP’s opportunity is to help them put AI to work to navigate complexity, build modern marketing operations and operationalise a new playbook for growth.

“I’m confident that in the era of AI our role will become more – not less – important, as marketing continues to evolve and becomes more fragmented and complex. For those who can adapt, I believe there’s a once-in-a-generation growth opportunity, and our new plan for WPP is designed
to capture it,” she wrote.