Insights
The AI Bubble May Pop for Investors. But in Comms, It’s Only Just
18.08.25
Author: James Thomlinson
18.08.25
Media today spotlighted OpenAI CEO Sam Altman comparing AI’s current market frenzy to the 1990s dot-com boom. While the bubble may well soon burst for investors, in the comms industry it is only continue to inflate.
At Sprint Partners, we’re seeing three key things impacting PR and comms agencies, and here are some clear ways to respond:
Sprint Partners helps agencies and brands embed AI workflows and tools into their day-to-day operations
1. Scrambling to solve GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation)
Agencies are waking up to a powerful reality: earned media increasingly shapes what AI search / query outputs. One report found editorial media accounts for around 61% of LLM outputs. Another suggests OpenAI’s models still rely heavily on historical data, with media published pre-2023 driving up to 60% of responses.
This is a clear opportunity to build a new service line, but most agencies are still experimenting without expertise. The smart move is to bring in a GEO / SEO specialist, shape your offer, pilot with existing clients, build case studies, and then scale. Test, learn, prove and grow.
2. Random, ad hoc tool use without strategy
Without a central plan, agencies – especially independents without the financial backing of networks to invest in proprietary tools and training – are overwhelmed by tool dispersion. The result is duplication, inefficiency and wasted capacity.
McKinsey research shows only a minority of organisations are embedding governance, metrics and road maps for GenAI deployment, while larger firms significantly outperform smaller ones in adoption structures. There is advantage in planning, not just experimenting. Start small:
- Automate administrative workflows such as research, reporting, routine writing
- Use freed-up time for higher-value creative and strategic work
- Establish governance, KPIs and phased rollouts
- Ensure senior leadership, not juniors, own the process and maintain discipline
3. Senior leaders, not juniors, must guide AI adoption
Too often AI is left to younger teams who are enthusiastic but less experienced. The risk is they take outputs at face value without questioning accuracy or considering how best to position insights with clients.
This trend is clear across the industry. Firms such as Edelman and Golin have appointed senior AI leaders to oversee strategy and ensure human review of every AI-generated output. The lesson is clear: senior talent must steer implementation, bringing the context, judgement and accountability needed to separate signal from noise.
Why this matters
The agencies that integrate AI best into both day-to-day operations and innovative client services, will mirror those that embraced social media early in the mid-2000s. Think of We Are Social, who rose from the unknown to global leaders.
AI will not eliminate comms pros. But, it will narrow the field to those who use it the best, and they will outpace the rest.
Drop us an email if you have any questions or want to talk about AI: james@sprintpartners.co
Related content:
Insights
19.06.26
In Dubai, we unveiled the MENA region’s first data-led benchmark of commercial performance across marketing communications agencies – revealing where growth is heading in 2026. Built in partnership between Sprint Partners Consulting, PRCA MENA and YouGov, the report captures the real story behind revenue, profitability, investment, new business intensity and the strategic capabilities shaping the […]
Insights
19.06.26
Agency Hackers’ Growth Summit was one of the most honest, practical and founder-led conversations about agency growth I’ve been part of in a while. What stood out wasn’t hype or theory, it was lived experience. Across M&A, new business, leadership, pricing, independence and scale, there was a refreshing lack of BS. Clear patterns from […]
Insights
12.02.26
Insights
26.11.25
You’ve probably seen the wild visuals doing the rounds from Google’s Nano Banana Pro. I had a play by uploading my report, The Growth Divide, and turning it into a whiteboard… 🤯 The output was spot on: sharp analysis, clean design, eerily lifelike. Exactly the sort of thing that speeds up early-stage strategic thinking and […]
Insights
26.11.25
I attended the fantastic Moore Kingston Smith LLP annual agency survey event last night, which painted a very clear picture: the agencies winning today – and those positioned to win tomorrow – are the ones behaving like high-performance teams. They’re agile, strategically disciplined, and continually evolving their proposition. The difference between “fit” and “future-fit” comes down to […]
Insights, Reports
20.11.25
A quick reminder for anyone shaping their 2026 plans: vision means nothing without delivery. This week, the PTO and the Saudi Federation signed an MoU in Riyadh to accelerate triathlon from grassroots to elite level – a clear sign of big ambition and long-term investment. But in the same weekend, one of the sport’s headline […]
Insights
19.11.25
I recommended what I called “the GOAT of business books” to a client last week – and I stand by it. If you haven’t read Good to Great by Jim Collins, it’s well worth it, particularly as you shape your 2026 plans. It was first recommended to me by an old boss, and the principles […]
Insights
03.11.25
Glasgow you great. Great fun, great people, and great food (GaGa Kitchen)! Enjoyed speaking to many Scottish agencies and learn more about the market up there. Some seriously strong agencies that shouldn’t be overlooked just because they’re not in London. Thanks to the PRCA for inviting me to speak about Agency Growth in 2026 and Pitching Smarter, Winning Bigger. Here […]
Insights
14.10.25
Had a lot of fun chatting to Chris Norton and Will Ockenden from Prohibition PR. Thanks a lot for having me on and putting me on the spot more than once! We dug into why so many brand-agency pitches miss the mark, and how both sides can make the process work better: The usual suspects: AI-written RFPs, vague briefs, and […]
Insights
11.10.25
Are you struggling to find a new gear and finish the year strong? After a long, demanding year, many leaders feel like they’re running out of steam – teams are stretched, priorities are blurred, and focus is hard to sustain. That’s why Hyperefficient by Dr Mithu Storoni is worth checking out. It explores how […]