IAB Australia’s Gai Le Roy Says Industry Must Create New Jobs To ‘Supplement AI’

Why It Matters

The call for AI‑augmented job creation signals a strategic shift in hiring and training for the advertising ecosystem, affecting talent pipelines and investment priorities. It underscores that human expertise remains a competitive differentiator despite rapid automation.

Key Takeaways

• IAB Australia urges new roles to complement AI, not replace workers.
• Panel highlighted AI as productivity enhancer, not full automation yet.
• Skills in connection, sales, finance, and diagnostics deemed irreplaceable.
• Companies cutting staff while investing heavily in AI-driven tools.
• Live ChatGPT demo failed, underscoring AI’s current limitations.

Pulse Analysis

The conversation at the "AI Without The Eye‑Roll" panel reflects growing anxiety across media and advertising as AI tools proliferate. While executives tout efficiency gains, Gai Le Roy cautioned that premature workforce reductions could backfire when AI systems are still dependent on human oversight. By advocating for new, AI‑supplementary positions, she aligns with a broader industry trend that views automation as a catalyst for role evolution rather than a headcount‑cutter. This perspective encourages firms to map out hybrid job families that blend technical fluency with creative strategy.

Le Roy highlighted a core set of competencies that AI struggles to emulate: deep customer connection, nuanced sales negotiations, financial stewardship, and the ability to diagnose and reinterpret AI outputs. These human‑centric skills are increasingly valuable as organizations seek to differentiate themselves in a crowded digital landscape. Training programs that prioritize critical thinking, empathy, and cross‑functional collaboration can future‑proof talent pools, ensuring that staff can leverage AI as a tool rather than compete with it. The emphasis on diagnostic expertise—understanding how AI arrives at conclusions—reinforces the need for a new breed of analysts who can audit and refine algorithmic decisions.

The panel’s live ChatGPT demonstration, which collapsed during a simple game, served as a vivid reminder that generative AI remains imperfect. For advertisers, this underscores the risk of over‑reliance on black‑box models without robust human validation. Companies investing heavily in AI should balance automation budgets with upskilling initiatives, creating roles such as AI‑workflow orchestrators, data ethicists, and AI‑augmented strategists. By doing so, the industry can harness AI’s productivity boost while preserving the human insight that drives brand relevance and consumer trust.