How AI could benefit your agency in 2025 and beyond?
2024 marked a pivotal year for AI in the agency world. According to the latest BenchPress report, 95% of agencies under £1M have now adopted AI in some capacity. While this widespread adoption signals AI’s growing role, many agencies are still in the early stages of understanding how to use it strategically. As we progress through 2025, those who effectively integrate AI into their operations will be the ones who stand out, while others risk missing out on its full potential.
What value will AI bring clients?
AI undoubtedly brings significant opportunities for agencies, from accelerating delivery times to increasing client value. The BenchPress report highlights that 75% of agency owners recognise faster delivery as a key benefit, closely followed by the ability to enhance client value (66%) and reduce operational costs (57%). However, despite the widespread use of AI, only 14% of agencies have developed a clear AI strategy, and just 18% have implemented an internal AI policy. Without a long-term, thoughtful plan, many agencies will struggle to realise the full benefits of AI.
What risks could AI pose for agencies?
As AI continues to march forward, there are understandable concerns about its impact on the sector, particularly around the devaluation of agency work, price erosion, and clients shifting work in-house. However, these risks fail to account for the unique value agencies bring; value that AI simply cannot replicate. The idea that AI will devalue agency work overlooks the decades of expertise, strategic insight, and creative solutions that agencies provide.
For example, at Koozai, with over 20 years of experience, we offer a depth of industry knowledge and insights that AI alone cannot match. Our clients don’t come to us for simple task completion; they seek our expertise, our tailored strategies, and our ability to provide creative solutions to complex problems.
AI should be viewed as a tool that complements, not replaces, the human expertise that drives agencies forward. While AI can automate repetitive tasks and drive efficiencies, it can’t replicate the strategic thinking, creativity, and problem-solving that agencies are known for. Instead of eroding prices, AI should enable agencies to offer more value by freeing up time for more strategic and innovative work. By integrating AI into their workflows, agencies can focus on what really matters: developing effective strategies, fostering client relationships, and creating impactful campaigns. Agencies that strike the right balance between AI’s efficiencies and human creativity will continue to command higher fees for the added value they deliver.
The fear of clients bringing work in-house is another concern that often gets overstated. While AI can undoubtedly help clients handle certain tasks internally, it’s the technical ability, strategic oversight and high-level expertise that agencies provide that really sets them apart. At Koozai, we continuously invest in upskilling our team, trialling new tools, and refining our strategies to ensure we stay ahead of the curve. This commitment to innovation allows us to offer a level of customisation and foresight that in-house teams may not have the resources to achieve. And, of course, the personal relationships we nurture with clients, along with our deep understanding of their business goals, cannot be replaced by AI. Clients still need trusted advisors who understand the nuances of their industries and can guide them through their challenges.
What’s the future of AI in agencies?
The agencies that will succeed are those that go beyond simply adopting AI and take the time to develop a clear, strategic approach to its integration. AI is not just a tool, it’s a shift in mindset that can transform every aspect of an agency’s operations, from content creation and marketing to sales and internal processes. Agencies that invest in training their teams, creating clear internal guidelines, and embedding AI into every facet of their business will be best positioned to use this technology to its fullest potential.
At Koozai, we see AI as a powerful way to elevate what we do, not diminish it. By embracing AI as a complement to our expertise, we can unlock new levels of creativity, efficiency, and value for our clients. The key to success isn’t just adopting AI but developing a long-term, thoughtful strategy that blends human insight with machine efficiency. We believe, much like the report also suggests, that those agencies that embrace this approach will not only deliver better results but also maintain a competitive edge in an increasingly crowded market.
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