Strategists Expanded Influence Amidst Rising AI Anxiety
As you reassess agency partnerships, expect strategists to prioritize business outcomes over traditional consumer research.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Business Strategy
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A new WARC report shows that 50% of strategists have gained influence with clients, even as 56% fear AI will eventually replace their roles. These shifts are forcing a transition in how agencies demonstrate value to business operators.
Why it matters
Strategists are pivoting toward bottom-line impact to justify their necessity following industry headcount reductions and consolidation. This shift signals a move away from traditional research methods toward data-driven, business-oriented consulting.
A survey of 489 strategists found 83% expect to collaborate with AI teams, while 66% maintain optimism about the profession. These figures reflect a departure from previous years, as strategists now prioritize business outcomes over qualitative field work.
The players
WARC
An international provider of marketing intelligence and research for global advertising and agency sectors.
The details
Agencies are reallocating time previously spent on in-person consumer research to more nuanced, AI-assisted strategic analysis. This transition allows firms to align their outputs more closely with business metrics. Strategists are now increasingly integrating their work with data science teams to maintain their relevance in an automated environment.
Timeline
The survey used for this report was fielded in August 2026.
Comparative metrics in the report are drawn from 2025 data.
A podcast detailing these findings will be released on 8 October 2026.
Market Landscape
This development marks a departure from traditional, research-heavy agency models that characterized the industry prior to 2025. It aligns with broader trends of consolidation and the urgent integration of AI tools into core consulting workflows.
Owners should reevaluate their agency service-level agreements to focus on measurable business outcomes rather than legacy research deliverables. Use this period of agency transition to demand deeper integration between your external partners and internal data teams.
The takeaway
The rise of AI in consulting is forcing strategists to adopt business-outcome metrics to secure their value proposition. Operators should prepare for more collaborative AI-driven recommendations from their agencies in the coming months.
What happens next
A podcast discussing the implications of this report will be available starting 8 October 2026.
Further reading
For more on evolving agency partnerships, read our analysis on Business Strategy.
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Do you believe automation makes your daily work more or less connected to real people?
