Adapt or perish – The uncomfortable truth employers and employees must face: Unpopular opinion by a CCO

Allow me to unpack this analogy: the emergence of AI is nothing new, we’ve all known the 'robots' were coming since Sarah Conner told us in Terminator; a lot of us have chosen to turn a blind eye. Until the 'robots' start threatening your very income streams, then resentment starts brewing. Bearing in mind, as a country we stem from a culture where giving the bare minimum is the staple, industries at large are looking for ways to streamline redundancies and maximise profits, so employees need to understand we are at stage in this revolution where it’s adapt or perish.

In the advertising industry, AI is transforming everything from concept and content creation to data analysis, and no one is safe: me included. Yet, despite the clear benefits, many employees are digging in their heels, reluctant to embrace these advancements. This resistance is not just a personal preference; it’s a significant obstacle to progress. According to a recent study by McKinsey, 70% of change programmes fail due to employee resistance. This statistic is staggering and underscores the critical issue at hand: human resistance to change is a formidable barrier to innovation.

The reasons for this resistance are deeply rooted in human psychology. Studies have shown that humans are naturally averse to uncertainty. A research article from the Journal of Experimental Psychology highlighted that people prefer predictable negative outcomes over uncertain ones. This aversion to uncertainty is magnified when it comes to job security. When employees perceive AI as a threat to their jobs, their natural reaction is to resist.

But here's the controversial truth: those who do not adapt will be left behind, this resistance is not only detrimental to the individuals themselves but also to the industry as a whole. By clinging to outdated methods and rejecting AI, employees are essentially choosing to remain stagnant in a rapidly evolving field. The advertising industry is built on creativity and innovation, as an employee your operating system needs an update to be compatible with the modern workplace… the sooner you realise this, the quicker you can avoid becoming a human version of Blackberry.

Are they even still around?

Exactly!

I often say to my team, AI is not here to replace us but to enhance our capabilities and help us generate creative concepts, content, and visuals quicker and more efficiently. AI can free up human talent for more creative and strategic work, running multiple ideation sprints, analysing vast amounts of data, provide insights quicker so we can provide the best go-to market strategies and allow us creatives to craft more personalised and effective campaigns. According to a report by PwC, AI could contribute up to $15.7tn to the global economy by 2030 – a piece of the pie no astute business person wants to be left out on, so as a business head, we have to have these tough discussions, who is holding us back and why? Have we educated and supported our employees enough to embrace the change? And at what point do we draw the line or trim the fat?

Yet, despite these benefits of adapting and upskilling, the fear of the unknown keeps many tethered to their comfort zones. It's akin to someone refusing to leave their cozy spot by the fireplace to gather wood, not realising that the fire will eventually die out without their effort. In the same vein, the advertising industry cannot sustain its growth and innovation without embracing AI. In fact, those who refuse to adapt are not just holding themselves back, but their clients too – they are actively hindering the revolutionary progress and benefits AI is here to achieve.

As a tech-savvy CCO, it's my responsibility to guide our agency through this transition. This means not only adopting AI tools, but also fostering a culture that embraces change. We must educate our employees about the benefits of AI and provide them with the training they need to thrive in this new landscape. It's about shifting the narrative from one of fear to one of opportunity. And yes, this might mean making tough decisions about who is on board with this vision and who is not.

While resistance to AI is a natural human reaction, it is ultimately counterproductive. By embracing AI, we can unlock new levels of creativity, efficiency, and innovation. It's time to step out of our comfort zones and gather the wood needed to keep our industry's fire burning brightly. For those unwilling to adapt, it may be time to step aside and make room for those who are ready to drive the future forward.

This article was created and conceptualised by me and written by AI: something we like to call Human-lead AI.