As we begin the New Year, we spoke to industry leaders to reflect on the shifts that shaped 2025 and the forces expected to define 2026. For Kartik Smetacek, CCO, Saatchi and Saatchi India, 2025 marked a year where AI fundamentally changed the speed and economics of creative work.
“The AI effect: Do it faster, do it cheaper. Creative departments turned into testing labs, using AI in multiple different ways. Not just to create art and copy, but also for VOs, animations, videos and, in many cases, those 2am pitch decks.”
That shift, he believes, was only the beginning. As the industry looks ahead, the conversation moves from speed to substance. “The next AI effect: Do it better. I think 2026 is the year AI goes from being a toy to a tool, one that actually makes the work better. Better informed briefs, sharper cuts on the data, smarter ideas. Of course, the difference will be the stack you have access to, and the skills to make the most of it.”
But technology-led abundance will also trigger a creative correction. He says, “A direct consequence of AI-powered everything will be the value given to human storytelling. When we’re drowning in mass-manufactured content, I think honest, insightful work will make a comeback.”
And finally, Smetacek points to a structural shift in how brands connect with audiences. He says, “2026 will also be the year marketing goes micro. Technology will allow you to go both wider and deeper simultaneously. Expect to hear a lot about micro markets, micro influencers, micro communities, micro everything.”
(As told to Neeta Nair)
