Programmatic was apparently going to kill creativity. Self-serve platforms were going to kill media agencies. Influencer content was supposed to kill television commercials (TVCs). Now artificial intelligence (AI) is here, and we’re acting like it’s an extinction-level event.
But here’s the thing: AI isn’t the problem. It’s our reaction to it. The hype. The blind praise. The lazy shortcuts. The assumption that speed equals strategy. The tools keep evolving. But the question stays the same. Are we evolving with them, or just reacting like deer in headlights again?
We have seen this same reflex across the MENA region, just accelerated. We chase the latest tools, shift budgets, rebrand services before asking what we’re really building. And in that rush, we risk forgetting the fundamentals: cultural insight, brand memory and long-term value.
This piece isn’t about bashing AI. It’s not another worship session either. It’s a reality check for agencies, clients and talent who think using the tool is the same as understanding the change. Because this time, the shift isn’t just in how we work. It’s in what we value, and whether we’re still bringing anything original to the table.
The work got faster. Did it get better?
Fifteen years ago, the industry was slower, scrappier and less automated. But it had a rhythm.
Briefs were conversations, not just decks. We pitched with instinct and conviction. Shoots took time, edits were crafted, and big ideas were given space to breathe. The media was about precision, not just reach.
In MENA, we built brands with cultural intelligence. Cinematic work out of Cairo. Bold innovation from Dubai. Creative outdoors in Riyadh. Storytelling depth from Beirut. It wasn’t perfect, but there was clarity in how we worked and what we aimed for.
Now timelines are tighter. Deliverables are multiplied. AI supports everything from ideation to execution. Teams are leaner, briefs are faster, and production is always “ASAP”. Creative has become content. And content never sleeps. Clients expect more for less, assuming tech will fill the gaps.
Yes, we’ve unlocked speed and scale and those are real wins. But speed can’t replace thinking. Scale doesn’t guarantee relevance.
This isn’t about resisting change. It’s about making sure we don’t flatten everything in the name of efficiency. Because MENA has always stood out by doing things with depth, context, and craft. That edge doesn’t come from tools. It comes from how we use them.
AI changed everything. That’s not always a win.
AI is a creative accelerant. A production engine. A localisation beast. A brainstorming partner that doesn’t sleep.
In MENA, it’s already transforming workflows. It churns out versions for 20 markets overnight, generates visuals for pitches, edits scripts, builds decks. What used to take days now takes hours. What was once out-of-scope is suddenly doable. But when everything becomes possible, discipline becomes everything. Because the same AI that saves time can also cost you.
Originality, when everyone’s using the same tools. Cultural nuance, when prompts replace research. Depth, when quantity is prioritised over quality. Strategic thinking, when the brief becomes an afterthought.
Clients see speed and assume value. Agencies see scale and assume relevance. But AI doesn’t understand the market. It doesn’t challenge a bad brief. It won’t tell you your idea has been done before. It gives you what you asked for, not what you actually need. AI didn’t lower the bar. We did, when we stopped questioning what we were making and why. Used well, AI can unlock creativity, reduce burnout, and empower talent to focus on the bigger picture. Used poorly, it becomes a content machine with no meaning behind the message.
One last note.
AI helped with this article, not to create it, but to sharpen it. I used it to stress-test the structure, check the rhythm, and push the language. But every insight, opinion, and perspective is mine. That’s the point.
AI is a powerful tool. But it doesn’t replace judgment, taste, or experience. If you don’t know what you stand for, no prompt will save you.
AI didn’t change the industry. It exposed it. It showed us how much noise we create when we stop thinking. It made it harder to hide behind jargon, process, or over-explaining. It didn’t kill creativity. It just asked us to prove we still have it.
If you’re a client, stop focusing on what AI can do. Keep asking what your brand should stand for. If you’re an agency, stop selling the tool. Keep proving your thinking still has an edge. If you’re a talent, don’t race the machine. Be the reason the work is worth making.
What matters now isn’t who’s using AI. Everyone is. Original ideas, uncompromising standards, and work with purpose. That’s owning the future. No tool can fake it. No shortcut will.
By Bassel El-Sawy, Regional COO, Kijamii
