“Finding that specific set of skills might be difficult at first,” Wagman said. “It may make sense to upskill someone internally with an existing foundation or tap into adjacent skill areas and invest in training.”
Other agencies choose to integrate AI expertise into existing roles, but according to Snyder, having a centralized expert allows existing teams to focus on their core strengths.
“This combined approach promotes scalability, adaptability and a culture of responsible innovation across Momentum,” Snyder told ADWEEK. “While the developmental sessions ensure general understanding, the dedicated role provides subject matter expertise for the ongoing guidance and infrastructure needed to leverage AI ethically. »
Other agency approaches
Other agencies have their own approaches to mitigating risks. The WPP agency portfolio group, which invested $317 million in its AI efforts this year, created a legal team to oversee AI initiatives at the holding company level, said Oliver Feldwick, head of innovation at WPP agency The&Partnership.
The&Partnership formed a 10-member cross-departmental team, the AI Ethics Council, in September, which meets monthly and is responsible for monitoring the responsible implementation of Generation AI within the agency, identifying risks and potential pitfalls, Feldwick added.
Elsewhere, Omnicom and Media.Monks have embedded responsibility for using Gen AI ethically into the existing roles of all its teams, including legal and creative.
“There is no head of AI, no AI strategist or no AI creative,” said Debora den Iseger, senior vice president, head of content and innovation at Media.Monks Studios. “The KPI (key performance indicator) is integrated into existing roles and therefore does not change the structure. »
