How AECOM, Nine and Urbis are reshaping creativity with AI

AI is reshaping the creative landscape by driving efficiency and speed across workflows, conceptual development and execution. More importantly, it’s enhancing collaboration and creativity, allowing businesses to flourish.

For AECOM, Nine and Urbis, AI is pivotal in pushing the boundaries of creative freedom. We spoke to Juli Anderson, Director of Brand & Creative for Australia and New Zealand and Global Head of Brand Programs at AECOM, Stefan Mitchell, Head of Video Content for News and Sport at Nine, and James Courtney-Prior, Head of Creative at Urbis, to learn about the companies’ approaches to AI adoption.

Anderson, Mitchell and Courtney-Prior discussed the importance of combining AI and human intuition, and what this technological shift means for the next generation of creative professionals.

Removing the logistics leaves more room for creativity

Time is valuable in the creative industry. By using AI-powered tools to streamline time-consuming tasks and free up resources, creative professionals can focus more on what they do best – storytelling and content creation.

Mitchell explains that AI, with the help of human input, is accelerating the process of creating and delivering content across Nine’s News and Sport divisions.

For AECOM’s global teams, Adobe Express has improved cross-functional workflows and systems by providing a single, centralised platform for developing and managing content.

Meanwhile, Urbis’ creative team is using AI to help generate ideas quickly, which they can then sense-check with clients before moving to the next design stage.

Blending AI and human intuition

AI is a game-changer for creative professionals in empowering them to spark ideas and visualise concepts within seconds. The challenge is striking the right balance between AI and human intuition.

“Our philosophy towards AI [at Nine] is that it has to start with a human and end with a human,” says Mitchell.

While AI offers significant productivity benefits, Anderson believes the skills and experience of creative professionals are irreplaceable when it comes to creating impactful content.

What does this mean for the next generation of creatives?

As AI continues to transform the creative landscape, the role of leadership evolves, too. Mitchell and Courtney-Prior emphasise the need for a holistic approach to creativity – it’s not just about mastering one skill set anymore.

Anderson says creative leaders have a duty to prepare new creative professionals for advancements in AI-powered creativity. “It’s about mentoring the next generation of designers… so they’re equipped to take on the challenges of the future.”

With AI capabilities expanding rapidly, success for the next generation will hinge on their willingness to learn and adapt. “You need a real growth mindset to succeed in the future,” says Courtney-Prior.

For AECOM, Nine and Urbis, AI is not only reshaping workflows and creative processes – it’s also allowing them to focus more on strategic thinking. The priority now is keeping their people central to these processes and training young creatives to adapt alongside AI advancements.

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