Advertising has entered autopilot.

→ Download the Case for Creative: Insights from ~2M ads connecting creative quality to efficiency. 

“That is impossible, Michael. A car doesn’t drive itself.” 

“Doesn’t it?” 

Michael Knight and Knight Industries Two Thousand (KITT) were unaware of the significance this exchange would take on decades later as self-driving cars (or autonomous vehicles) become the stuff of reality and not science fiction. 

Self-driving cars were once hailed as the future of transport—set to end car ownership and reshape cities. But reality arrived with teething problems and slower-than-expected adoption. In San Francisco,
Waymo
cars honked at each other in confusion<!–>. In Scottsdale, an AV spun in circles while trying to reach the airport–>.

As

Mike Johns

<!–> put it, “It felt like a scene in a sci-fi thriller.”–>

But, despite these challenges, AVs are here to stay. The global autonomous vehicles market is projected to reach nearly 62 billion dollars in 2026, up from 24 billion in 2021. Nearly 80% of all car sales in Europe<!–> and roughly 65% of all car sales in the US could be advanced AV vehicles by 2040. –>

The onward march of automation is evident in every sector. Automated check-out systems, food delivery robots<!–>, and smart home devices–> have transformed existing processes beyond recognition. 

In advertising, automation is already the norm. AI now runs media buying—placing ads, optimizing targeting, and allocating spend in real time. The days of human-led bidding are long gone.

Now, AI’s next frontier is creative—generating, testing, and optimizing ads at scale.

But the question remains: what do we optimize for? Sales? Or long-term brand value. Without oversight, AI risks driving brands back into the performance trap—prioritizing short-term metrics over long-term brand value. It raises concerns about message consistency, brand safety, and losing the human touch that makes creative work resonate.

Marketers need systems that enforce creative quality standards to protect their brands, defining and enforcing creative excellence before an ad even goes live. Creating in effect a human hand on the wheel of the self-driving advertising machine. 

The Case for Creative reveals how better creative drives measurable results—lower costs, stronger brand recall, and more efficient media spend. Drawing from 1.8 million assets, the report shows how leading brands are adapting to AI without sacrificing creative quality.

Jeffrey Blankstein

<!–> put it best: “Creative is a catalyst for business impact. In a digital landscape saturated with content, creative is the ultimate differentiator for brands.”  –>

KITT’s abilities have not been fully realised in today’s AVs – to date, there haven’t been examples of cars actively talking back to passengers or suggesting that they “calm down.” Although, we shouldn’t speak too soon. Science Fiction works capture the imagination of the time they are written, and while they are never 100% accurate, they can be almost alarmingly predictive. 

But the future of automation in the creative space is already on us, and the world’s most successful advertisers aren’t wasting any time in shifting gears to adapt. 

The brands that embrace this shift now will set the standard for the next era of marketing. One where creative isn’t just an expense but a proven driver of efficiency, growth, and competitive advantage.

→ Download the Case for Creative: Insights from ~2M ads connecting creative quality to efficiency.