As brands in the Middle East – and the agencies servicing them – increasingly lean into artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to craft marketing strategies and campaigns, one of the most fiercely debated topics is the evolving role of humans in the creativity process.
Are we transitioning from ‘AI versus human creativity’ to ‘AI-dependent human creativity’? Is human ingenuity being sidelined in the age of AI? Industry leaders reach a consensus that nobody puts human ingenuity in the corner.
In conversation with Campaign Middle East, industry leaders share how we need to move past the ‘AI is a useful tool’ and ‘AI won’t take our jobs’ discussions to highlight precisely how people need to embed AI in their day-to day and the dangers associated with getting a bit too comfortable with offloading creativity to AI.
Putting the ‘AI replacing humans’ debate to bed, Noah Khan, Regional President of Digital & Innovation – CEE, Middle East and Africa, TBWA, says, “The future isn’t about machines taking over; it’s about humans and AI working together to push boundaries, solve complex challenges and create in ways we never imagined before – stealing ideas from the future and defying gravity.”
“Think of it like this: data provides the raw material, AI helps refine it, but it’s the human touch – the craftsman – that shapes the material into something truly special and relevant,” says Carla Klumpenaar, General Manager – Marketing and Communications, Al-Futtaim IKEA UAE.
The beauty of AI is that it is pushing creatives out of their comfort zones. First-party data and AI are amplifying human creativity, taking ‘innovative ideas’ beyond the attention-grabbing and award-winning check boxes to be more strategic, meaningful and effective to guide consumers toward conversions, brand love and loyalty.
Federico Fanti, Chief Creative Officer, FP7 McCann Dubai, says, “Just as Photoshop revolutionised the creative industry 20 to 25 years ago, AI is poised to do the same today. AI expands the possibilities of creativity, allowing us to push boundaries and explore new frontiers.”
Waseem Afzal, CEO and Founder, Platformance, says, “Those who stick to traditional methods may struggle, but those who use AI as a tool to enhance their ideas will shape the future of creativity.”
‘‘When decisions are data-led, we optimise for what already works, instead of what could work.”
Words of caution
Marketers and agency leaders also share that the degree of dependency on AI-generated content – whether due to ease of delivery, monetary constraints or speed to market – raises concerns.
Last year, Chalhoub Group’s designer fashion outlet, The Deal, caused a stir when it used large-language model (LLM) text-to-picture generation for its back-to-school campaign, eliminating the need for planning, casting, shooting, models, photographers, and physical locations.
Chafic Haddad, Chief Creative Officer, VML MENA, says, “AI and data-driven creativity are opening up new possibilities, but there’s a slight risk that human ingenuity could be sidelined if we rely too heavily on technology.”
The AI ripple is also being felt across the globe. Some global giants such as Oreo-maker Mondelez International and Mars candy brand Starburst are leaning into AI to scale their campaigns – to enable different versions of their creatives across programmatic – while other smaller brands such as IT management platform Atera and fintech firm Klarna are saving millions of dollars on marketing spend by jumping on to the generative AI bandwagon.
Creative leaders view this as a step in the right direction, but they also advise caution. Apart from AI’s lack of human emotion, empathy, context and cultural nuances, marketers also raise concerns that data-driven decisions without experienced oversight can be counter-productive to creativity.
Haddad adds, “Data can help guide decisions but it shouldn’t completely control the creative process. If we focus too much on numbers – such as past performance or short-term results – we risk creating predictable, safe content that lacks originality or emotional depth. Data should support creativity, not stifle it; should inform, not constrain it; guide, not dictate it.”
Fizo Younis, Chief Creative Officer, Publicis Communications – KSA and Egypt, says, “The risk isn’t in using data, it’s in using it blindly. When creative decisions are purely data-led, we start optimising for what already works instead of exploring what could work. That’s how creativity becomes predictable, and when everything feels the same, nothing stands out.”
This brings up a crucial conversation around AI’s originality. For instance, AI’s production of ‘different’ and ‘effective’ creative art or music, based on mimicking, mixing and matching past work, neither equates to the originality of Beethoven or Van Gogh nor summons the emotion of Hans Zimmer’s pieces.
“Data-driven creativity is immensely powerful, but we must watch out for over-reliance. If we depend too much on AI, we might end up with the same ideas simply warmed up,” TBWA’s Khan says.
Tizian H. G. Raab, Head of Communications and Public Relations, Azizi Developments, adds, “The real risk lies in humanity’s overreliance on algorithmic precision, potentially outsourcing the ineffable qualities of intuition, paradox and serendipity that fuel revolutionary ideas. AI – driven by data – certainly acts as a catalyst for creativity, providing unexpected combinations and novel structures. However, it currently remains bound by the patterns it analyses – lacking the nuanced understanding of emotion, context and culture that human ingenuity inherently grasps.”
The trouble with ‘sameness’ arguments is that they pre-date AI and data-driven creative strategies. Marketers and agencies have been arguing about the originality of campaign ideas for decades, with a lot of recent work being called out for repurposing old award-winning campaigns.
Instead of leaning in to AI for ‘creative’ ideas based on what it is learning from the past, leaders call for the industry to use these tools to figure out whether their ideas are truly ‘original’. Instead of depending on AI to ‘spin’ previously successful ideas into new ones, they call for the industry to be bold and innovative.
Leaders also highlight how success differs based on geography. What works in the west may not work in the Middle East – a region that represents several different cohorts of hyper-local communities, each with their own dialects, cultural nuances and media preferences.
Fabio Silveira, Managing Director, Havas Creative Middle East, says, “While data can inspire and enhance creativity, an over-reliance on data can lead to formulaic approaches. For instance, replicating ‘global best practices’ may overlook unique, market-specific growth opportunities. There’s a crucial distinction between knowing and truly understanding – between merely speaking to an audience and deeply connecting with them.”
Some marketers also discuss recent geopolitical shifts around the globe, which have resulted in the rollback of AI safeguards around inclusion and sustainability. Others call for stronger guardrails to prevent AI from being allowed to act on prejudices of the past.
“Caution is essential as we navigate the rise of data-driven creativity,” says Ghida Batal, Head of Media and Digital Excellence – MENA, Arla Foods. “Creativity thrives on a balance between analytical precision and originality. If we rely too heavily on past data, we risk reinforcing biases and stifling fresh ideas.”
Al-Futtaim IKEA UAE’s Klumpenaar says, “One of the biggest challenges is avoiding the echo chamber effect – where personalised targeting becomes so narrow that it limits a customer’s exposure to new ideas and inspiration. We also recognise the potential for bias in algorithms, and are actively working to mitigate this by monitoring our recommendation engine for bias, and having our design team ensure inclusivity in products and marketing.”
She adds, “While data is invaluable, navigating the sheer volume of information can be overwhelming, even leading to decision paralysis for some. Therefore, equipping our teams with the skills to effectively interpret and utilise data is crucial.”
This also means that it’s not only time for the brand and marketing industry to democratise data – make it accessible and understandable to a broader range of individuals – but it’s also a call to break data silos, upskill teams and ensure that everyone in the organisation understands how they can derive value from the data at their fingertips. Essentially, data-driven decisions need to be more than just a bullet point on the job description.
Platformance’s Afzal says, “The caution lies in using data for its own sake rather than focusing on why it is being applied. When data becomes the objective instead of the means to an outcome, creativity risks being reduced to a formula. The most effective brands use data to sharpen creative thinking, not replace it. Data-driven creative strategies should lead to better outcomes, more engagement, stronger brand affinity and increased business impact.”
‘‘Leverage data without losing the soul of storytelling, ensuring content resonates emotionally while reaching the right audience.”
Data and creativity – Working towards equilibrium?
Through the conversation, several marketers and creative leaders use the aphorism, “Technology without humanity is like an engine without a pilot.” Rather than one relying on the other, the leaders discuss the need for interdependency. They share how creativity must breathe life into AI-delivered insights, turning numbers into narratives and, conversely, how creative prompts within LLMs and AI tools can lead to more meaningful, targeted insights.
When asked whether we need to find equilibrium – the balance between – the science of targeting and the art of creativity, Publicis Communications’ Younis says, “Advertising has always been both, the science of targeting and the art of creativity, but maybe we should rethink it. What if we infused more art into targeting and more science into the creative process? That might bring us closer to equilibrium. That said, I don’t think we’re there yet. Balance isn’t a fixed point, it’s a constant adjustment based on the challenge at hand. Technologies will keep evolving, platforms will shift, and with that, we’ll need to keep redefining what balance looks like.”
Fouad Abdel Malak, Chief Creative Officer, Blink, adds, “The balance between the science of targeting and the art of creativity isn’t static – it’s a constant dance. When done right, the two don’t just coexist; they elevate each other. Precision targeting informs creativity, ensuring bold ideas hit where they matter most.”
Taking this a step further, TBWA’s Khan says, “The magic isn’t in balance – it’s in the imbalance. When technology informs, but doesn’t dictate, and when creativity inspires, emotes and is not defined or restricted by numbers, we unlock new possibilities. We’re in an era of dynamic tension, when science and creativity continuously push each other forward. Data-driven targeting sharpens insights, ensuring relevance, while creativity breathes life into those insights, forging emotional connections.”
That’s where the goalposts have moved: to find the sweet spot where marketers and agencies remain nimble enough to push creative boundaries, yet grounded in the science that drives results.
Platformance’s Afzal adds, “Targeting has never been more precise, yet creativity has never been more essential. Targeting allows us to reach the right audience at the right time, but it is the art of creativity that makes them stop, engage and remember. The best brands know that data and creativity are not opposing forces. When used together, they turn marketing from a numbers game into a measurable, impactful story that is relevant at scale.”
Industry leaders also highlight the risk of allowing algorithms and performance metrics to overshadow authentic and emotionally engaging narratives, thereby potentially eroding a brand’s identity and originality.
Given that the prime objective of brand and marketing is to solve consumers’ problems, elevate customer experiences and connect brands to communities, the real challenge in a numbers-driven world lies in going beyond using data for precise targeting, and also using it to craft compelling stories that resonate with audiences.
Arla Foods’ Batal says, “Creativity often plays catch-up, adapting to algorithms rather than leading the conversation. Brands risk over-optimising for performance metrics, sometimes at the expense of emotional storytelling and originality. The best brands are those that leverage data without losing the soul of storytelling, ensuring content resonates emotionally while reaching the right audience.”
VML MENA’s Haddad adds, “The real challenge now is finding a balance where tech enhances creativity, not dominates it. It’s about using data to tell better stories, not just more targeted ones.”
It’s no surprise that the need for human ingenuity – through contextual, culturally relevant and conscientious storytelling – has, therefore, come back to the fore in a world where data and creativity collide.
