Ad Schools Are Reshaping for the AI Era. Here’s My Take.
A response to this Adweek article: https://www.adweek.com/agencies/ad-schools-race-to-equip-grads-for-the-ai-age/
The ad school model is shifting fast. Miami Ad School just launched a 10-week AI for Creatives boot camp. VCU Brandcenter brought on its first director of technical training. London’s SCA is rolling out workshops that treat AI as a “creative partner.”
This is amazing progress. Ad schools have always done an incredible job preparing people to break in. They build portfolios, sharpen skills, and get students agency-ready. Yes, cost and time are barriers, but for those pursuing art direction, copywriting, or strategy, ad schools remain one of the best bets to break into advertising.
I’ve seen this firsthand. When I was running communications at Havas, Chicago, leadership sent me to VCU Brandcenter to recruit a strategist before the role was even open. The reputation was that strong. At the portfolio review, every student was ready to thrive in the industry. That speaks volumes about what schools like VCU, under leaders like Vann Graves, produce.
I also respect the urgency of these AI updates. I even taught the first-ever AI in Advertising class at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Schools moving this direction is necessary.
But Here’s My Caution
AI skills should never replace the fundamentals. A good idea, strong taste, and the ability to concept in a group come first. Craft and execution matter, but they are secondary to knowing what makes a great campaign.
My biggest issue with how people talk about AI is the idea that you suddenly need to act like a creative director. That misses the point. You should not let AI generate your ideas. Use it instead to gather insights, spark references, or surface new angles to explore.
As a junior, your job is to learn. You don’t know what you don’t know yet. You need to train your eye for what a truly good idea looks like. Ninety-nine percent of juniors cannot create a campaign that lasts three to five years with repeatable executions. That is the most sought-after skill in advertising, and the only way to build it is through practice, feedback, and taste-building.
There’s also a cognitive caution. Multiple studies show that heavy reliance on AI tools can weaken critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Use it sparingly, and never let it replace the creative work you should be learning to do yourself.
The industry is buzzing with the idea that juniors must now be polymaths, combining art direction and copywriting. That pressure can distract from the real priority: learning how to generate strong, original ideas.
What I Would Focus On, If I Were You
Decide your lane early. Be clear on whether you are pursuing copywriting, art direction, strategy, or another role. Depth beats spreading yourself thin.
Train your taste. Study the best work and understand why it mattered. Build a library of campaigns that defined the industry and ask why they resonated.
Learn to spot real ideas. A great campaign has longevity. Learn to identify whether something has legs beyond a single execution.
Prioritize collaboration. The best campaigns come from teams, not solo efforts. Work with partners who balance your skills.
Treat AI as a tool and not as a director. Use it to raise the craft of your work, generate references, or explore angles after you’ve nailed the thinking.
Protect your thinking. Be aware of how overusing AI can weaken problem-solving. Keep your mind sharp by doing the hard work of ideation yourself.
Good creative directors hire for ideas and ways of thinking, not just polish. Don’t lose sight of that. When you engineer an AI prompt, it always starts with the idea.
Final Thought
AI in ad schools is a step in the right direction. But if you’re breaking in, remember this: craft follows concept. Don’t let the rush to master tools distract you from mastering the fundamentals of creativity.
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