UK ad agencies undergo their biggest exodus of staff as AI threatens industry
TL;DR
Number of employees declined by more than 14% to 24,963 last year, with fall greatest among younger workers AI is indeed coming – but there is also evidence to allay investor fears UK advertising agencies had their biggest annual exodus of staff last year, led by younger workers, as artificial intelligence tools threaten to replace workers and force the industry to cut jobs and costs. Staff numbers at creative agencies, which are facing acute pressure from the rollout of AI tools that reduce or even replace the need for agency staff, fell more than 14% in 2025. Continue reading...
Nauti's Take
The advertising industry exemplifies how AI redefines entire job categories. Notably, it's not seniors leaving but juniors – traditional entry-level creative roles are the first to disappear.
Anyone planning a career in the industry today must master AI tools rather than be replaced by them.
Summary
Number of employees declined by more than 14% to 24,963 last year, with fall greatest among younger workers AI is indeed coming – but there is also evidence to allay investor fears UK advertising agencies had their biggest annual exodus of staff last year, led by younger workers, as artificial intelligence tools threaten to replace workers and force the industry to cut jobs and costs. Staff numbers at creative agencies, which are facing acute pressure from the rollout of AI tools that reduce or even replace the need for agency staff, fell more than 14% in 2025. Continue reading...
Sources