AI Reshaping Brand Creativity: Insights from Edelman, Le Truc, WHY

At Runway’s 2026 AI Summit in New York, creative leaders from Edelman, Le Truc, and WHY Brands outlined how artificial intelligence is reshaping brand storytelling, workflows, and creative specialization. Moderated by Henry Cowling, Chief Innovation Officer at Monks, the panel emphasized one consistent takeaway: while AI tools are ready, the real challenge lies in rewiring teams, budgets, and habits to unlock their full potential.

Speed vs. Perfection in the Creative Process

Filip Williander, who oversees creative technology at Publicis’ Le Truc, shared how AI has disrupted the traditional creative instinct to perfect ideas before presenting them. “You can get a concept 60-70% there in minutes,” he said, enabling more iterative, co-creative processes with clients. But this speed creates new challenges. “The skill every creative needs going forward is knowing when to stop,” Williander added.

Chris Harrelson of WHY Brands described a similar tension. As AI accelerates production, deciding when a project is “finished” becomes a discipline in itself. Meanwhile, Gabe Michael, who built Edelman’s AI production capabilities, emphasized a shift from procedural workflows to purpose-driven ones. “The production process used to be fixed,” he said. “Now, models change daily. It’s about asking why something is being made and what value it adds.”

The Risks of AI Without a Point of View

Williander warned against using AI for its own sake, which he said often leads to bland, “safe” outputs. “If you’re just using AI to use AI, it becomes a race to the middle,” he explained. Instead, a strong creative perspective is critical to producing work that stands out. Cowling echoed this concern, noting that many companies amplify old inefficiencies by deploying AI in fragmented, uncoordinated ways. “The risk is ingraining chaos,” he said, rather than rethinking workflows holistically.

AI as a Catalyst for Cultural Responsiveness

Harrelson highlighted AI’s ability to help brands respond quickly to cultural moments. With tools like Runway, his team can turn around creative concepts in a single day, compared to the multi-day timelines of traditional workflows. However, building trust around AI remains a challenge. Michael noted instances where clients initially rejected AI-generated work, only to accept it once the creative process was explained transparently. “When you go in and tell them the process, they become much more comfortable,” he said. He believes AI skepticism is fading as output quality improves and storytelling takes center stage.

Specialization Thrives in the AI Era

Contrary to fears of AI turning everyone into generalists, Williander argued that specialists are becoming more valuable. “Prompts reward exactly what specialists know,” he explained, citing photographers’ expertise in lighting and composition as examples. Michael agreed, describing how AI tools are enabling Edelman’s designers to expand their skill sets. Since adopting Runway as a creative partner, Edelman’s teams have achieved “five times more output without working longer”—freeing up time for experimentation and higher-impact projects.

Structural Shifts in Creative Budgets

AI is also forcing brands to rethink how they allocate budgets. Harrelson said WHY Brands spreads the cost of tools like Runway across the entire company, encouraging widespread adoption. Williander sees AI enabling modular, adaptable creative assets that bridge global and local needs. “It’s not a fixed file anymore. It’s a template,” he said, allowing brands to maintain consistency while tailoring content to local markets without ballooning costs.

The panelists agreed that the gap between AI’s promise and its practical application is narrowing. As tools like Runway mature, they see a future of more creativity, delivered faster, and by a broader range of talent. But the key to unlocking this potential lies in rethinking how organizations approach creativity itself—placing purpose, specialization, and flexibility at the center of their strategies.

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