Smartly Exec Called for Marketing Workforce Transformation
As AI integration spreads, agencies are shifting their focus from traditional media to technical reskilling.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
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Smartly CEO Laura Desmond has signaled a critical need for advertising agencies to overhaul their workforce models to accommodate artificial intelligence. The move follows the opening of a new technology hub in Mexico City aimed at advancing AI and connected TV capabilities.
Why it matters
Marketing organizations are currently grappling with a growing gap between their AI budget allocations and their actual technical execution capacity. This shift mirrors the industry's pivot to digital in the mid-2000s, necessitating a transition for traditional media staff into new technical roles.
Chief marketing officers are now allocating an average of 15.3% of their total budgets to artificial intelligence investments. Despite this spending, broad industry maturity remains limited to just 30% of organizations.
The players
Laura Desmond
The current CEO of Smartly who spent over 27 years at Publicis Groupe managing media and advertising strategy.
Smartly
An advertising technology firm focused on AI-driven creative automation and connected TV media buying.
The details
Agencies are looking to bridge the gap between AI investment and deployment by prioritizing the reskilling of traditional media practitioners. This strategy requires firms to leverage deep institutional knowledge of brand dynamics and consumer behavior to manage complex partner ecosystems. By integrating these insights with new technology providers, agencies aim to operationalize their AI tools rather than simply financing them.
Timeline
Mid-2000s: The advertising industry pivoted from traditional media to digital platforms.
September 22, 2026: Laura Desmond highlighted the imperative for agency workforce transformation.
The Tech Race
This workforce shift follows the pattern of the industry's mid-2000s pivot toward digital advertising infrastructure. Agencies are now racing to convert traditional media planning roles into technical execution positions to align with the current 15.3% average budget allocation for AI.
Marketing professionals and media planners can expect mandatory upskilling programs as firms rush to close the gap in AI maturity. The expansion of hubs like the one in Mexico City signals a decentralization of technical talent, prioritizing regional centers for connected TV and AI operations.
The takeaway
The gap between marketing spend and AI maturity is driving a mandatory labor shift within agencies. Watch for upcoming announcements regarding formalized certification or training programs as firms attempt to scale their internal technical expertise.
Further reading
For more on how new technologies are reshaping media, explore our latest updates in Artificial Intelligence.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Beet.TV - The Root to the Media Revolution.
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