On October 16th, the British Library in London hosted what might be the most pivotal event of the year for digital agencies: Agency Hackers' "Robots Are Coming" conference. But honestly, the real headline should be "The Robots Are Here Already"—and what an inspiring day it was to explore what that actually means for our industry.
Where AI Adoption Stands Today
The day opened with Peter Czapp of WOW agency presenting their comprehensive Google Benchpress Report on AI usage across UK digital agencies. The data painted a fascinating picture: while 5% haven't touched AI yet, a remarkable 47% are already using it across parts of their business, with 10% successfully leveraging it company-wide. Perhaps most encouraging? 38% are actively trialling AI—this is the spirit of innovation we need to see.
But adoption numbers tell only half the story. What really stood out was the emphasis on intentionality and governance. Agencies are taking this seriously: 50% are running team training sessions, 40% have written internal AI policies, and 26% have developed dedicated AI strategies. This isn't wild west experimentation—it's strategic transformation.
From Services to AI Subrands
One of the conference's most exciting themes was the emergence of AI-focused business units within agencies. Annica agency shared how they've created a dedicated AI subbrand to deliver specialized AI services to clients. Their distinction between AI agents (proactive) and AI assistants (reactive) clarified much of the confusion surrounding these terms.
What particularly impressed us was seeing real tools being productized and delivered as services. Their conversion rate optimizer, built with N8N, reviews lead generation pages and provides actionable optimization recommendations. This isn't theoretical—it's agencies solving actual client problems with AI.
Creative Problem-Solving with AI
The conference showcased remarkable examples of agencies using AI to enhance their core competencies. Wildfire PR presented a fascinating approach: leveraging behavioral science principles and a seven-dimension persona template to create client-specific personas. They then use AI to pitch against these personas and test deep subject matter knowledge—from telecom engineering to niche industry expertise. The result? They've won multiple pitches and projects using this methodology.
Similarly, the creators of Definition AI demonstrated how consolidating multiple LLMs into a single resource, complete with prompt libraries tailored to specific departments, creates genuine competitive advantage. The vision of gating premium access to tested prompts and SLA support hints at an exciting future for AI-powered services.
The Future of SEO? It's AI Visibility
Simon Douglas from Curated Digital reframed the entire SEO conversation. Their evolution from traditional rankings to "AI visibility"—getting brands into LLM answers, establishing authority, and earning citations—reflects where the market is headed. But here's what we loved about their approach: they started with people, not prompts. They surveyed clients to understand their AI maturity, built training around real work, and kept humans firmly in the loop.
This human-centric approach to AI implementation is the real differentiator. They're not teaching prompt tricks; they're building confidence and enabling teams to work better.
Practical Tools Making Real Differences
Robotzebra's use of Claude and MCP (Model Context Protocol) to integrate with Gmail, Asana, Notion, and Google Calendar showed how AI can genuinely improve agency operations. By automating communication summaries and time management, they've freed their teams to focus on strategy. Their N8N workflow for content auditing—checking AI readiness, competitor gaps, and suggesting SEO improvements across multiple URLs—is the kind of smart automation that actually moves the needle.
The Human Element Remains Essential
Throughout the day, one message kept returning: AI is a tool for human amplification, not replacement. Louise Cunningham from Halo Media emphasized the importance of accuracy through proper instruction, verification, and constructive challenge. The consistent thread across all presentations was keeping humans involved, finding the "diamonds in your staff" who excel with AI, and spending time genuinely understanding how to use these tools.
The Takeaway
"The Robots Are Coming" turned out to be a masterclass in how forward-thinking agencies are not just adapting to AI—they're thriving with it. The optimism wasn't naive hype; it was grounded in real implementations, measurable results, and a commitment to using AI responsibly and strategically.
If you're wondering whether your agency is ready for AI, the answer is clear: the time isn't coming—it's here. The question is what you're going to do about it. And based on what we saw at the British Library, the answer is: plenty of brilliant things.
