UK ad agencies undergo their biggest exodus of staff as AI threatens industry
UK creative agencies saw their largest staff exodus in 2025, with younger workers leaving amid AI-driven job threats and cost-cutting.Summary
UK advertising agencies experienced their most significant annual staff reduction in 2025, with creative agencies seeing a drop of over 14% in employee numbers, according to the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA). This exodus was particularly pronounced among younger workers (aged 25 or under), whose numbers fell by 19.2%, as artificial intelligence tools threaten to replace roles and prompt re-evaluations of long-term prospects in the industry. The IPA noted that almost 60% of departures were resignations, and 24% of agencies plan to cut jobs due to AI this year, a threefold increase from 2025. Furthermore, graduate recruitment has slumped, with only 43% of creative agencies hiring trainees or apprentices. Experts suggest agencies must learn to co-create with AI rather than viewing it purely as a cost-cutting measure. The IPA's director general expressed concern that the decline in staff and entry-level roles raises questions about future industry capability as AI reshapes required skills.
(Source：the Guardian)