Miami Ad School launched the program after hearing from agencies that want to “bring on more juniors if they know how to use AI tools,” said Rebecca Rovirosa, its chief creative officer and academic director.
Meanwhile, just as some agencies have appointed chief AI officers, Brandcenter recently hired its first director of technical training, Micah Berry from Arts & Letters. Berry will help students and faculty keep abreast of developments in AI and emerging tech, Graves said.
“Young ad folks can’t just be an art director or copywriter now. They have to be polymaths,” he added.
SCA’s changes are more extensive. Starting with the 2025-2026 cohort, the school will conduct a series of 10 two-hour workshops teaching students how to creatively think and problem solve using AI.
The goal is for students to leave with “AI as your personal creative partner,” said Marc Lewis, head of SCA. That’s a change from the previous system of students teaming up with peers, which will now be optional. With AI training, the cohort will also be able to create portfolios and pitch decks much faster, he added.
“They’re going to need to be able to operate like a one-person agency. They now need to think as a creative director, working with AI as your junior and giving it feedback and direction,” Lewis said. “AI should be like an exoskeleton, helping people think further and faster.”
The Future
Many educators agree that ad schools need to quickly adapt. “A school that gets it right is one that knows they need to be nimble,” Carte said.
For Miller, that means having leadership committed to constant curriculum updates, especially as new tools emerge. “Schools need a leader who’s staying on top of the curriculum and making sure that it’s as current as possible,” he said. “With AI, art directors need to have a glimpse into Midjourney… writers [need to] learn how to use ChatGPT.”
One alternative may be agencies taking the reins of education again, giving talent real-world experience. For instance, BBH runs an eight-month program called the Barn, led by the agency’s former executive creative director Nick Gill. The Barn pays participants about $39,000 per year, and many grads get jobs at BBH or other agencies, Grieve said.
But despite the pressures on traditional talent training models, the idea of AI completely replacing entry-level talent is unrealistic, Graves said.
“You still need juniors to train up and implement new ideas,” he said. “There’s going to be a great awakening on what junior roles look like and the expectations of students coming into the field.”
