Artificial intelligence isn’t coming for the PR and marketing industry, it’s already here. From content creation to media analytics, AI is transforming how agencies operate, pushing us to rethink what’s possible in our field. For years, AI was discussed in abstract terms, but today, it’s a working tool, actively shaping brand narratives, optimising ad spend, and redefining audience engagement.
As an agency, we’re no longer asking if AI will change the way we work, but how we can integrate it effectively without losing the essence of what makes communication compelling. Globally, brands are leveraging AI for hyper-personalised content, predictive media analysis, and campaign automation. The numbers back it up: AI is expected to contribute $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. This shift isn’t temporary, it’s here to stay.
While adoption is global, the pace in the Middle East is remarkable as countries such as Qatar accelerate the AI agenda at a national scale; and agencies are expected to keep up.
How Should Agencies Be Using AI?
In communications, we’re already seeing how AI can streamline workflows by accelerating every part of the process.
Sentiment analysis is giving agencies real-time insights into how audiences perceive a brand, before a campaign even launches. AI tools can now test content tone, format, and messaging variations with immediate feedback, giving agencies the ability to fine-tune messaging for maximum impact.
Content production is also evolving, as AI-assisted writing tools help us work faster: building first drafts, adapting formats for different platforms, and freeing up bandwidth for higher-level thinking. In a fast-moving market, that matters.
AI is also making targeting smarter. Campaigns that used to be pre-scheduled and fixed can now respond dynamically, shifting based on live data. Messaging can be adjusted on the fly, driven by audience engagement or market mood. And when it comes to crisis comms, AI is a powerful early warning system. Automated monitoring tools flag issues as they begin to surface, giving us time to manage the narrative before it spirals.
AI Changing the Role of Agencies
The biggest misconception about AI in PR and marketing is that it will replace human jobs, but that’s not the reality. What AI is doing is forcing agencies to rethink how they use their time. The days of manually combing through media coverage, running broad-stroke ad campaigns, and relying on gut instinct for audience insights are over. Smart agencies are reallocating their resources toward strategy, creativity, and relationship-building, the things AI simply can’t replicate.
AI isn’t a magic solution, but it is a competitive advantage for agencies that know how to use it strategically. Those who embrace it will move faster, work smarter, and deliver real business impact, while those who resist will struggle to keep up.
Qatar’s AI Innovation
Qatar isn’t just adopting AI at the agency level; it’s embedding it into national strategy. The country’s recent partnership with Scale AI, a U.S.-based firm, signals the direction things are going in. Over the next five years, Qatar plans to integrate AI across government services, exploring more than 50 applications designed to enhance efficiency and public service delivery. This kind of investment sends a clear message: Qatar is serious about becoming a digital-first economy. And that means every industry, including ours, will need to match that pace.
Web Summit Qatar 2025 was further proof of this. With over 25,000 attendees from across the world, the event didn’t just highlight emerging tech, it showcased how central AI is becoming to the way we communicate, connect, and build brands.
As AI becomes part of national infrastructure, brands and institutions in Qatar will increasingly expect their agency partners to bring AI fluency to the table: not just as a tool, but as a mindset.
AI is Not a Threat, But Ignoring It Is
Qatar’s AI market is projected to reach $567 million in 2025, contributing nearly $5 billion to the economy by 2030, and telecom giant Ooredoo has invested QR2 billion in expanding regional data centre. This is no longer an emerging space, it’s our new operating environment.
We hear all the time that AI is a game-changer, but the real question is: how do we play the game well? AI has the power to streamline operations, but it also raises big questions about ethics, authenticity, and trust.
For us, AI’s value lies in freeing up time for deeper, more strategic work. But it also challenges us to protect the human elements that matter most: voice, context, ethics, and emotional intelligence. We know AI isn’t a replacement for talent, it is a multiplier, and agencies that understand how to use it strategically will have an undeniable edge.
The risk isn’t that it will replace agency talent, it’s that competitors who use it better will pull ahead. So, what is the real takeaway for those in the marketing and PR industry? Avoiding AI isn’t an option, and the question isn’t whether agencies will use it, it’s whether they’ll use it well.
