Posted by: Theo Paraskevopoulos
06 August 2025
TLDR:
AI has accelerated how fast teams can deliver content, interfaces and ideas, but that speed is exposing weaknesses in digital strategy. Platforms may not be ready to scale AI, and most teams lack the necessary structure to utilise it effectively. This article examines why velocity without direction generates friction and how digital leaders can refocus on stable platforms, continuous improvement and long-term value. Insights from The Financial Times, The New York Times, and The Economist suggest that the winners in AI are not necessarily the fastest, but rather those who are best prepared.
Why faster AI delivery does not guarantee better digital outcomes
A promise of AI is speed. It can generate content in seconds, code interfaces in minutes and summarise data before your coffee's gone cold.
For digital leaders, it's tempting to believe faster delivery automatically means better outcomes.
But for CMOs, CTOs and Heads of Digital, the reality is more nuanced.
At Growcreate, we're seeing organisations start to reassess what they really need from their digital platforms. Not just more speed but more structure. Not just delivery but direction. It's no longer about finishing projects faster. It's about building foundations that scale, flex and improve continuously.
Is faster delivery creating new gaps in digital strategy?
Theo captured it well in our last Town Hall: AI brings the Minion Effect—more volume, more ideas, and more speed. But not always more value.
That's what many digital teams are facing now. With AI accelerating production, expectations around personalisation, performance and integration are rising. But budgets are tightening, and team capacity isn't increasing at the same rate.
So, where does that leave digital leaders?
The Financial Times notes that AI is most likely to replace roles that follow predictable patterns, such as administrative tasks, templated content and basic production work. What stays valuable? Roles that bring strategy, creativity and empathy. The same logic applies to your platform. Automating output is easy. Sustaining long-term performance and adaptability isn't.
How are digital priorities shifting in response to AI?
We've seen a clear shift in how organisations approach digital engagement. Small, one-off enhancement projects are no longer delivering long-term value. The priority now is platform stability and strategic evolution.
Here's how it breaks down:
- Support relationships are growing. Teams want platforms that are stable, fast, secure and regularly maintained.
- Enhance work, such as small tweaks or UI changes, is declining as teams prioritise capability over cosmetics.
- Evolve is where the real value lies. Clients want to explore what's next. That might include AI integration, journey redesign, automation or data optimisation.
As The Economist pointed out, the competitive advantage no longer comes from access to AI tools (everyone has them). It comes from knowing what to do with them. That's where a strategic agency relationship pays off.
What does a future-ready digital platform look like?
As AI shapes content creation, users are segmented and experience personalised. Your CMS and digital infrastructure need to support this shift.
A project-focused mindset won't get you there. You need a platform built for continuous evolution.
Here's what future-ready looks like:
- Structured content models to support personalisation, search, filtering and automation
- Re-usable components that let marketers and content teams launch campaigns without developer input
- Clear permissions and workflows to keep teams aligned and platforms secure
- Seamless integration between your CMS, CRM, analytics and AI tools
- Ongoing optimisation from accessibility to performance, SEO to security
These are not project outcomes. They are capabilities you build and maintain over time.
What should you expect from your digital agency now?
The agency model is evolving too. As AI reduces the time it takes to build, the value shifts to what happens after launch such as ongoing support, strategic input and experimentation.
At Growcreate, we support organisations long after go-live:
- Support: 24/7 maintenance, SLA-backed performance and uptime monitoring
- Enhance: Iterations, UX updates, new feature rollout
- Evolve: AI pilots, roadmap planning, platform extensions
- Consult: Team capability reviews, CMS audits, governance and alignment
We build platforms that help you scale, adapt and stay ahead.
How will AI change the role of digital platforms and teams?
The New York Times highlighted emerging roles such as AI strategists, prompt engineers and AI designers. These roles blend human creativity with machine intelligence, representing the future shape of digital teams.
Your platform should support that kind of hybrid working to speed up delivery while making room for creativity, leadership and long-term thinking.
AI might write the copy. A model might build the layout. But the experience? The message? The journey? That still needs people who understand your users, your goals and your brand.
Rethink your platform before your competitors do
AI changes the pace, but your platform determines whether you can keep up. The question is whether your CMS, team, and delivery model are ready to benefit from it.
If you're rethinking your platform or what comes after your next sprint with Growcreate...
