""Technical literacy is table stakes at this point, and AI fluency is an expectation," said Javier Santana, chief strategy officer at full-service agency Chemistry. "There's no room for purists." "Agencies are forcing ourselves to move away from one dimensional, credential-based hiring," added chief people officer Christofer Peterson. Of the 190 roles PMG filled in 2025, 80 were for "early career" positions."
"The agency focused on hiring for software development, engineering and AI automation-related jobs, according to talent enablement senior director Sarah Smith. Full-service agency Kramer-Crasselt hired 25 staff in 2025, according to head of HR Alexa Bazanos. "We're hiring people who have [the] experience, ability, curiosity, to utilize AI in the work," she said. AI is now a major focus of interviews with prospective candidates, as part of a broader reshuffle in the skills employers prioritize."
U.S. ad industry employment declined by 3,700 year-on-year in 2025, per Bureau of Labor Statistics figures. Agencies continue to hire but prioritize technical literacy and AI fluency over purely credential-based backgrounds. Firms are recruiting early-career candidates alongside specialized hires in software development, engineering and AI automation. PMG filled 190 roles in 2025, 80 of them early-career, and plans similar hiring in 2026. Kramer-Crasselt added 25 staff and seeks candidates who can apply AI with experience, ability and curiosity. A LinkedIn study predicts 70% of workplace skills will change by 2030 and 88% of C-suite executives prioritize accelerating AI adoption.
Read at Digiday
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]