In an AI-driven industry, FCB's Group CEO for South Asia sees vulnerability in middle-layer jobs, but says the real dividing line is not between juniors and seniors, but between those who evolve and those who don’t.
Every conversation I have about AI in our industry inevitably circles back to one question: what does this mean for jobs? The assumption is often that entry-level roles will vanish first, leaving us without the next generation of talent.
I disagree.
If there’s one thing I’ve seen consistently across Asia-Pacific, it’s that young people adapt to change faster than anyone else. They are the first to try a new tool, the quickest to experiment, and the most willing to push boundaries. AI will not wipe out entry-level roles. In fact, it will make young talent even brighter, sharper, and more valuable. They will rise faster because they are playing with the new toys rather than resisting them. The real threat lies elsewhere.
The middle layer at risk
The group most vulnerable to AI is not our juniors but our middle layer — people who are already established, comfortable, and in some cases, reluctant to evolve. This is the layer where habits harden and comfort zones deepen.
AI is creating two clear sets of professionals in advertising and marketing: The new-age adopters — who treat AI as a tool to extend their creativity and accelerate their craft. The reluctant laggards — who dismiss it, fear it, or stay in denial, hoping the storm will pass.
This divide will not be level-wise; it will be mindset-wise. You could be a young planner in Manila or a seasoned creative director in Sydney — if you embrace AI, you’ll thrive. If you don’t, you’ll struggle.
Deep craft meets new tools
In this AI-driven era, craft still matters. A strategist who understands culture, a designer fluent in typography, a creative who knows the rhythm of storytelling — these are timeless skills. But craft alone is not enough.
The professionals who will stand out are those who combine deep craft with mastery of AI tools. Think of it as calligraphy in the digital age: the art of strokes remains, but the tools change. Those who embrace the new brush will not only survive; they will redefine excellence.
The jugglers and the seekers
What excites me is seeing young professionals across APAC using AI like jugglers — throwing up prompts, playing with outputs, remixing, and experimenting. This playfulness is exactly what our industry needs. It is in the act of juggling that new forms emerge.
On the other hand, I also see reluctance — professionals who are waiting for a perfect roadmap before dipping their toes in. But AI doesn’t work like that. The only way to understand it is to use it, critique it, and evolve with it. The journey is not about knowing exactly where we are headed, but about learning and growing as the tools evolve.
The future belongs to those who combine mindset and craft
In the age of AI, relevance will come from the intersection of two forces:
Mindset: The curiosity to embrace change — to pick up new tools, explore what they can do, and integrate them into your process.
Craft: The depth of your discipline — whether it’s strategy, writing, design, or data. Your ability to think, refine, and create with intent.
It’s the combination that creates true value. A strong mindset without craft leads to noise; strong craft without evolution leads to stagnation. Together, they create exponential impact.
So how do we ensure our talent pipelines stay strong in Asia-Pacific?
1. Encourage play, not perfection
Let young talent experiment with AI daily. Drip usage builds fluency faster than formal courses.
2. Pair craft masters with AI natives
Put a senior art director with a junior who’s playing with Midjourney or Runway. Both will learn — one brings depth, the other brings speed.
3. Break the middle-layer comfort zone
Agencies and brands should actively push mid-level talent to reskill and reframe their roles. Avoiding AI is not an option.
4. Celebrate evolution as much as craft
Awards and recognition should not only value the end product but also the creative use of new tools in the process.
The conversation about AI and jobs often gets stuck in fear. But if you look closer, the real dividing line is not between juniors and seniors. It’s between those who evolve and those who don’t.
Young people will thrive because they are fearless adopters. The middle layer must choose — evolve with the flow, or risk being left behind.
The industry’s future in APAC depends on how we manage this transition. We cannot afford to romanticise the old ways or dismiss the new tools. The leaders of tomorrow will be those who hold their craft deeply in one hand and AI tools lightly in the other — using both to imagine, critique, and create work that moves culture and business.
AI is not the end of human creativity. It is the amplifier. The only threat we face is the mindset that refuses to change.
Article first published on Campaign Asia.