WPP AI Boss: Agentic AI in "Teenage Sex" Phase

WPP's chief AI officer, Dr. Daniel Hulm, says agentic AI is in its "teenage sex phase." This means many people talk about it, but few are actually using it in practice. Over the past year, there have been many announcements about agentic AI, including new operating systems and campaign tools. However, the people meant to deploy this technology, like agency traders and media planners, often say they are still exploring it or building a business case. This gap between industry talk and operational reality is not new for advertising technology. But with agentic AI, companies aren't being honest about what large-scale deployment truly requires. Hulm believes deploying an "army of agents" without proper testing will lead to problems, as most agents won't be capable of their jobs. He states that at least 80% of the energy needed for agents is testing. This is especially important in marketing because agents trained on historical data can immediately change the very behavior they were built to predict. Without constant testing, the model risks becoming obsolete quickly as markets shift. This highlights the challenge of implementing new technologies effectively.