Advent of AI triggers job concerns in ad industry

The advances in artificial intelligence over the past year have changed how advertising campaigns are conceived and produced, professionals say.

Paro Salil, an associate director, who has worked for two years in advertising, says: “Traditionally, production teams would create three to four advertisements a month. Now, with companies increasingly requesting AI-generated content, people are lucky if they get to work on even one 30-second film.”

AI significantly reduces production timelines, allowing brands to cut down on shoot days and associated costs.

“Many companies have moved away from traditional ad films and are prioritising vertical digital content for social media, often using AI,” she says, as content on phones are typically viewed vertically.

The uncertainty has led many professionals, including Paro, to reconsider their careers. “Over the last three months, especially, the number of films has reduced drastically,” she adds.

While teams use AI for pre-visualisation — for storyboards and mood boards — the idea of fully AI-generated advertisements leaves many unsettled.

The anxiety extends across technical departments. Cinematographers and technicians — everyone is worried, and many feel learning AI has become a necessity.

When requests for AI campaigns come in from clients, some advertising firms produce AI-based content with a personal watermark — the director’s signature, for instance.

Ad-filmmaker Sendil Kumar echoes similar concerns. He points out that the transition to vertical formats began even before AI, driven by OTT platforms and social media.

“Earlier, ad films were shot horizontally and cropped later. Production crews were still required in those days,” he says.

Upskilling key

However, Kumar believes AI will soon affect roles across the board, from cinematographers and actors to set designers, makeup artists to technicians. “This change was inevitable. You either give up your passion or learn to use AI to fuel it,” he says.

Directors can now create without spending on a full film crew, and that is changing the dynamics within the industry.

Survival depends on adaptation, Kumar believes. “I use AI as a tool to tell my stories, though I’d do anything to return to working with people again,” he says.

He encourages industry professionals to upskill. “Cinematographers and designers already understand filmmaking. If they learn AI, they can become directors themselves,” he says

Creative director Pawan Mahalingam does not see large-scale disruption yet, but acknowledges workflows have become faster. “Processes that took four days now take half a day,” he says. “That time-saving will inevitably affect hiring.”

While he believes the Indian advertising industry has not felt the full impact yet, he notes that AI has simplified creative work globally. “There will always be areas that need a human touch,” he says. “But AI is already changing how designers work — and that change is here to stay.”