When AI Becomes a Given, What’s Left?

The headlines are buzzing—IPG offloading Huge and R/GA to private equity firms. Another reshuffling of the deck in an industry that keeps trying to reinvent itself. And of course, AI is at the center of the conversation. The magic fix. The inevitable future. But let’s be real—is AI really the story here?

AI isn’t the revolution anymore. It’s the baseline. It’s no longer a question of if brands and agencies will use it, but how. AI makes things faster, cheaper, and more automated. But it won’t fix a business model that’s fundamentally flawed—one built on bloated retainers, transactional thinking, and creative-by-committee mediocrity.

This is where I take a step back and ask—why did we start TRIAD in the first place? Everyone keeps saying the agency model is broken. Is this the end, or is it just the shake-up the industry needs?

We didn’t come into this industry to churn out content. We came to drive progress. To work on problems that matter. To create marketing that does more than just fill a feed—it moves the needle, shifts perception, and shapes industries. In a world where AI can produce more content than ever, what actually stands out?

The answer isn’t just speed or efficiency—it’s sustainability. Not in the ESG sense, but in the long-term relevance sense. The ability to create work that lasts beyond a campaign cycle, that builds value instead of just engagement.AI can generate, but it takes human instinct to shape. AI can flood feeds, but it takes thoughtful strategy to cut through.

That’s why TRIAD exists. Not to race to the bottom, not to churn out high-volume, low-value content. But to bring clarity, purpose, and bold thinking to brands that want to go beyond just keeping up with trends. And that’s the real challenge every agency, brand, and marketer needs to answer: are we just surviving the shift, or are we building something that lasts?

So, where does that leave us?

It means doubling down on why we built TRIAD in the first place. To apply the best marketing thinking to the toughest business challenges. To work with brands that want to lead, not follow. To create work that actually moves industries forward.

The IPG sale isn’t just another deal—it’s a signal. The industry is evolving. The ones who will win aren’t just the ones who use AI, but the ones who know how to build something sustainable with it.

For TRIAD, this isn’t about reacting to change. It’s about defining what comes next.

Marketing is changing fast. Brands that think beyond the next quarter will win. There’s no game if you’re not willing to play. If you’re ready to create work that matters, let’s build something together.