AI Won’t Replace Marketers. But It Will Replace Marketing-as-Usual

Last week, I joined Magnite’s AI Panel in Los Angeles for an inspiring conversation about how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping advertising. The dialogue reinforced something I believe deeply: AI isn’t here to take away jobs. It’s here to take away inefficiency, fragmentation, and the old playbook. 

Our long-standing partnership with Magnite reflects this vision. Together, we’ve been building solutions that make advertising smarter, more privacy-conscious, and more outcome-driven. This panel was another step forward in that journey, and here are five ideas that stood out. 

1. AI isn’t plug-and-play. 

The hype suggests AI is a magic switch. Flip it on, and everything improves. The truth? Success depends on infrastructure, data maturity, and cultural readiness. AI only delivers real value when it’s embedded into end-to-end systems, not bolted on as an afterthought. At Choreograph, we’ve seen this firsthand with Open Media Studio, which connects planning, activation, and measurement in one AI-powered environment. That’s where the real unlock happens. 

2. Privacy-first innovation is non-negotiable. 

As third-party identifiers fade, privacy-preserving technologies like federated learning and synthetic modeling are no longer optional, they’re essential. These approaches allow us to build predictive models without moving or exposing raw data, creating trust and compliance at scale. Our Open Intelligence platform was designed with this principle in mind, and it’s shaping how we collaborate globally without compromising sovereignty. 

3. Creativity still matters. 

Generative AI can accelerate creative iteration, but it can’t define what a brand stands for. Creativity is still a deeply human endeavor, so AI can and should open new directions, but not dictate them. One challenge we discussed is cultural nuance: AI often defaults to Anglo-centric tropes that don’t resonate globally. Human oversight ensures campaigns remain authentic and relevant. The magic happens when creative teams use AI to explore ideas they wouldn’t have reached alone, without losing originality. 

4. Measurement is evolving. 

We’re moving beyond impressions and conversions to richer metrics like attention, emotional resonance, and sustainability impact. AI enables this shift by analyzing signals at scale and surfacing insights that were previously invisible. Soon, we’ll measure not just what people do, but why — turning media into a lever for long-term brand equity, not just short-term performance. 

5. The real competitive advantage isn’t automation, it’s ambition. 

If you’re asking, “How do we use AI to do what we’ve always done, just faster?” you’re asking the wrong question. The right question is: “How do we use AI to do what we’ve never done before?”. Brands that combine AI’s predictive power with human creativity will lead the next era. Everyone else will be stuck optimizing yesterday’s playbook. 

Looking Ahead 

The future belongs to hybrid teams where machines handle complexity and humans bring meaning. That’s how we turn automation into advantage, and reinvent marketing for the next era. Matt McLeggon, who moderated the panel, summed it up perfectly: 

"We’re integrating generative AI into our platforms to make advertising more intuitive and effective — from contextual normalization that simplifies content categorization to tools that help buyers and sellers transact with confidence. Our collaboration with WPP Media ensures these innovations don’t just advance technology — they move the entire industry forward." — Matt McLeggon, SVP, Advanced Solutions, Magnite 

Our partnership with Magnite is proof that collaboration drives progress, and we’re excited to keep building solutions that make this vision real.