Title: Founder and CEO, Hills Advertising
Years in the role: 22 years
Years in the industry: 29 years
Years in the Middle East region: 33 years
Other roles / board memberships: Formal diplomatic position as Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to Jordan; Board member of several private and international company boards
Power Essay: Why creativity must remain human in an AI world
The greatest threat to creativity today is not competition, shrinking budgets, or dwindling attention spans. It is the industry’s growing reliance on artificial intelligence as a shortcut to originality. In an era where machines can generate content at scale, the temptation to substitute algorithms for imagination is dangerously high. If left unchecked, this over-reliance risks commodifying creativity – the very currency on which branding and marketing are built.
AI’s power is undeniable. It enables hyper-personalisation, predictive analytics and rapid content production. Brands like Coca-Cola have leveraged this potential through their ‘Create Real Magic’ campaign, inviting fans to co-create AI-powered artwork. The initiative showcased AI as a tool for collaboration rather than replacement, reinforcing human creativity at its core. But for every success story, there are dozens of generic, AI-driven campaigns that flood the market with indistinguishable visuals and hollow messaging. This is where the danger lies: when technology becomes the driver rather than the enabler.
Yet, the industry is increasingly seduced by the comfort of metrics. Data-driven marketing has created an environment where campaigns are designed to follow consumer behaviour rather than lead it. AI excels at extrapolating the past, but it cannot invent the future. If we allow algorithms to dictate creativity, we risk a world where campaigns are predictable, derivative and culturally sterile. True creative leadership requires moving beyond what audiences already know they want, into spaces they have not yet envisioned.
The ethical risks are equally pressing. When multiple brands rely on the same AI tools, outputs become homogenised, blurring differentiation and flattening creative identity. Worse, the overuse of AI risks alienating audiences who are already sceptical of authenticity in advertising. Consumers may forgive imperfection, but they will not forgive manipulation or sameness. If creativity becomes commodified, brands lose the very thing that makes them memorable: distinctiveness.
The way forward is not to reject AI, but to reframe it. The industry must adopt a hybrid model – where
AI removes executional friction and unlocks possibilities, while human imagination sets strategy, shapes narratives and drives emotional resonance. AI can be the paintbrush, but it cannot be the painter.
The challenge is clear. As creative leaders, will we use AI to amplify human potential, or will we surrender imagination to algorithms? The question is not whether AI will transform the industry – for it already has. The real question is whether we will let it define creativity for us, or whether we will reclaim creativity as a distinctly human advantage. The choice we make now will determine not just the future of our industry, but the cultural legacy we leave behind.
Highlight of the last year
Played a key role in shaping the region’s outdoor media landscape. Guided Hills Advertising toward steady growth and recognition with a focus on sustainable digital solutions and long-term partnerships with developers, earning industry awards that highlight both innovation and cultural contributions.
Rapid fire
What the industry needs to talk more about
Accountability.
What the industry needs to talk less about:
Buzzwords.
If you could change one thing in the blink of an eye, you would …
Standardisation.
What’s one thing about you that would surprise your team?
Early riser.
What mobile application can you not
live without?
Google Maps.
What word / phrase do people remember you for using the most?
“Focus. Focus. Focus.”
What’s one local / regional tradition that you love the most?
Family gatherings.
If you could choose any two people, currently alive, in the world to share a meal with you, who would it be?
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
What’s your top word of advice for Gen Z
and Gen Alpha?
Stay curious.
What’s your go-to comfort food?
Mansaf.
What’s your favourite ad from the past
12 months?
The Samana campaign that was featured across Hills Advertising’s multiple bridge banners.
