AI is no longer a vision of the future – it's the engine powering a marketing revolution. Brands are now harnessing AI to not only unlock unprecedented creative possibilities but also to anticipate consumer needs and tastes with remarkable accuracy, in order to deliver impactful experiences at scale and speed. But this rapid evolution requires careful navigation. We must ensure the immense power of AI does not compromise ethical practices and consumer trust.

Transparency breeds trust

Laetitia Raoust, Chief Digital & Marketing Officer at L'Oréal UK & Ireland, emphasised the importance of transparency from the outset. L'Oréal, she explained, has implemented a clear policy against using AI to generate human faces or skin tones for product demonstrations. "While we're excited by generative AI's potential," Raoust said, "beauty is inherently human. We want to be clear with our consumers from the get-go about how we're using AI, ensuring our practices align with our values." L'Oréal's open communication about its AI policy, she highlighted, is crucial for building trust in an age where consumers are increasingly wary of technology's influence.

"Just because you can do something with AI doesn’t mean you should."

L'Oréal's approach underscores a key theme that resonated throughout the roundtable: the importance of aligning AI strategies with core brand values. As Stephan Pretorius, Chief Technology Officer at WPP, said, "Mature brands understand that just because you can do something with AI doesn't mean you should." He emphasised the need for brands to consider the potential impact of AI on their brand reputation and consumer relationships, advocating for a thoughtful and measured approach to adoption, particularly when it comes to using celebrity likenesses. "Licensing and transparency are crucial," Pretorius added, "ensuring consumers understand how and why AI is being used."

Rankin Carroll, Global Chief Brand Officer at Mars, echoed this focus on brand values. He explained that Mars, a 100-year-old company undergoing a digital transformation, approaches AI with the same "responsibility" principle they apply across their business, and to all their innovations. For example, in their recent Gen-AI powered Snickers campaign, this commitment to responsibility saw them develop a rigorous screening process for potentially harmful content, that filtered out a staggering 5,000 words. "We're constantly asking ourselves, 'What can we learn at speed and pace while staying true to our values?'" Carroll said. "For us, it's not just about what AI can do, but what we should do with it."

Governance frameworks are essential

This emphasis on responsible AI implementation extends beyond individual brand decisions to encompass robust governance frameworks across the entire marketing ecosystem. Vicky Brown, General Counsel Commercial & Chief Privacy Officer at WPP, stressed the need for clear communication and education, drawing parallels with the evolution of data privacy awareness. "It's all about trying to educate people, not just on AI, but on technology more broadly," Brown said, advocating for transparency throughout the AI supply chain. "Brands need to lean into a dialogue about governance and transparency," she added. "This will change the bar and build trust with consumers."

"It’s the whole ecosystem’s responsibility."

When asked about the role of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in regulating AI, Brown argued that placing the onus solely on them would be "deeply unfair." She believes the existing framework, which emphasises legal, decent, honest and truthful advertising, remains relevant. "It's the whole ecosystem's responsibility," she said.

Allison Spray, Chief Data & Intelligence Officer, EMEA, at Burson, pointed to the strategic role of cognitive AI in understanding and predicting audience behaviour, enabling brands to tailor their messaging for maximum impact. Spray also emphasised the importance of leveraging AI-powered tools to identify and address potential challenges before they arise, ensuring brand safety and responsible deployment. "AI can open us up to risk," she acknowledged, "but it can also help us to mitigate it."

Pretorius agreed, saying that "Brand AI is all about control and authenticity." He highlighted WPP's commitment to building diverse and ethical AI, emphasising the importance of representative data sets and inclusive development teams. "It's not just about whether the content is privacy-safe," Pretorius explained, "it's also about representation and ensuring that AI benefits all stakeholders."

Do the positives outweigh the negatives of AI?

The environmental impact of AI, particularly its energy consumption, emerged as another key discussion point. Carroll acknowledged the need to incorporate AI's energy footprint into broader sustainability goals. Pretorius added the nuance that while AI data centres require significant energy, they can also contribute to reducing emissions in other areas, such as virtual production, which replaces carbon-intensive physical shoots. "We've done the calculations," Pretorius said, "and the shift from physical to virtual production represents a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, even considering the energy used by AI."

Despite the challenges, the roundtable participants expressed overwhelming optimism about AI's potential to enhance human creativity and transform the marketing industry. Raoust talked about AI-powered conversational assistants revolutionising consumer engagement, with, for example, personalised beauty advice and virtual try-on experiences. Carroll, meanwhile, emphasised the potential for AI-driven personalisation at scale, particularly in creating bespoke experiences for events and activations. "Our goal is to empower co-creation and deliver personalised experiences that resonate with our consumers," he said.

There was also a recognition of the need for vigilance and ongoing learning. Carroll, reflecting on the Snickers campaign, admitted that even with meticulous planning, unexpected challenges arose. "We had to create a list of 5,000 restricted words to ensure brand safety," he revealed. But the good news? "We had zero breaches, thanks in large part to having a human in the loop throughout the testing and deployment process."

"We have an opportunity to fuel a creative renaissance with AI, but we can’t be naïve about the risks."

Pretorius, on the side of cautious optimism, said, "We have an opportunity to fuel a creative renaissance with AI, but we can't be naive about the risks." He talked about the importance of responsible deployment and ongoing evaluation, saying, "The way we deploy AI to our workforce can have a profound impact on society, which is why we're taking a collaborative approach. We're working closely with experts, policymakers and our workforce to establish guidelines and best practices that ensure AI is used ethically and responsibly."

The roundtable concluded with a call for collective responsibility in shaping the future of AI in marketing. Industry-wide collaboration, transparent communication and a commitment to ethical practices emerged as crucial elements in building consumer trust and unlocking the full potential of AI.

As AI continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, WPP remains committed to partnering with our clients to navigate this dynamic landscape responsibly, ensuring that technological innovation goes hand-in-hand with a steadfast commitment to ethics, transparency and a human-centric approach.