This year, AI took centre stage. Again.
But what cut through wasn’t just talk of potential. It was the collective recognition that most organisations are already in motion. They’ve made bold moves. They’re running pilots. They’ve adopted new tools. Their people are ready to innovate. And yet, many still feel like they’re falling short of real impact.
The message is clear: the challenge isn’t appetite — it’s enabling teams to integrate AI meaningfully, at scale.
In conversation after conversation, it became clear that the question has shifted. We’re no longer asking, “Should we use AI?”. We’re asking, “How do we make it work across our organisation?”
At ICP, we see this daily. We work with the world’s biggest brands to move beyond surface-level AI use — into systems and structures that unlock long-term value. And there’s no secret formula, but there is a clear pattern: the teams succeeding are those who understand that AI isn’t a plug-in. It’s a discipline.
Too often, AI is treated like a project with an end date. In reality, it’s a capability that must evolve
The brands getting this right treat it as an ongoing operational commitment, with clear ownership, strong governance, and consistent alignment to business goals.
There’s no single starting point. But there are smart questions that set you on the right path:
The brands who move slow and steady, but deliberately, will outperform those who chase AI at scale without structure.
Start there. Because AI is not just a technical evolution. It’s an organisational one. And it touches far more than just the teams using the tools.
Let’s be clear: most teams want to use AI. There’s no shortage of interest or enthusiasm. The challenge isn’t convincing people — it’s equipping them to succeed.
That means more than just handing over a new tool. It requires a structured change programme that’s inclusive, clear, and consistent — so that people know what’s changing, why it matters, and how to embed it into their day-to-day work.
Adoption without enablement leads to frustration. Enablement without communication leads to confusion. You need both.
And that applies well beyond the immediate users. AI doesn't just affect the team using it — it reshapes how work flows between departments, how decisions are made, and how performance is measured. That’s why training, onboarding and stakeholder alignment must extend across the organisation.
At ICP, we’re helping some of the world’s leading brands navigate this process — not just with strategy, but with the messaging, governance and support that make adoption stick. We’re making change feel less like disruption — and more like progress.
The goal isn’t just faster workflows or smarter tools. It’s a scalable ecosystem where people, process and platforms evolve together.
At ICP, we break this into three essential shifts:
This is the work we’re doing with our clients right now. Helping them turn pilots into platforms, and experimentation into enduring capability.
If there’s one takeaway from Cannes, it’s this: the work that matters most may be the least glamorous.
Embedding AI isn’t just about what happens this quarter. It’s about building the foundation that will let you move faster, more creatively, and more confidently 12 months from now.
In a year’s time, AI won’t be the differentiator but how well you’ve integrated and governed it will be.
The brands who succeed will be the ones who revisit their strategy often, iterate fast, and invest in systems that scale with purpose.
We’re proud to be helping them do that.
If you want to find out how we could be helping your organisation, get in touch