Strategists See Expanded Business Role Despite AI Fears
A new report finds agency strategists are increasingly taking on broad business roles while navigating evolving AI integration.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Advertising
Live Poll
Do you believe artificial intelligence will improve your professional role rather than replace it?
WARC published The Future of Strategy 2026 report, highlighting how agency strategists are shifting their focus toward business outcomes and customer experience. Despite significant pressure from industry consolidation, 50 percent of strategists now report increased influence with clients.
Why it matters
As agencies manage reduced headcounts and senior talent turnover, marketers are demanding clearer links between strategy and growth. Strategists are responding by redefining their value propositions to better demonstrate measurable business impact in tougher commercial conditions.
A global survey of 489 strategists reveals that 66 percent feel optimistic about their profession. Currently, 57 percent report a need for a new value proposition, while monthly in-person qualitative research has dropped to 23 percent.
The players
WARC
This global intelligence service provides insights, trends, and data to the marketing and advertising industry.
The details
Strategists are increasingly moving beyond traditional communication planning to directly solve business problems and improve customer experience. While 56 percent of professionals identify AI as a top threat, 65 percent are successfully redirecting time saved by automation toward more nuanced, human-centric work.
Timeline
In 2025, 41 percent of strategists identified AI as a threat to job security.
The survey of 489 strategists was conducted in August 2026.
WARC published The Future of Strategy 2026 report on October 20, 2026.
Market Landscape
This shift reflects a broader response to agency consolidation, where firms are cutting headcounts and demanding greater versatility from staff. Strategists are moving to secure their positions by aligning their expertise more closely with business growth rather than just advertising creative.
Clients can expect their agency partners to shift from traditional communication planning toward providing direct business strategy advice. This change may lead to better-integrated brand experiences but could also alter existing service-level agreements and cost structures.
The takeaway
Strategists are successfully pivotting toward higher-level business roles by leveraging AI to handle routine tasks, allowing them to focus on human perspectives. To remain competitive, professionals should prioritize demonstrating the link between their work and bottom-line commercial outcomes.
Further reading
For broader trends in the industry, explore our Advertising section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by eCommerceNews Australia.
Live Poll
Do you believe artificial intelligence will improve your professional role rather than replace it?
