[Interview] Martin Sorrell says AI adoption lags behind hype as companies experiment, not transform

Against a backdrop of soaring investment in artificial intelligence (AI), companies are still largely experimenting with the technology rather than overhauling their businesses, advertising veteran Martin Sorrell said, as a lack of economic pressure slows the shift toward widespread adoption. Sorrell, executive chairman of S4 Capital and former CEO of WPP, said companies have been slower to adopt AI at scale than the market’s enthusiasm might suggest, with businesses reluctant to fundamentally change operations that are still performing well. “The sad reality is that people only change when there's an existential threat,” he said in a recent interview with The Korea Times. “People don’t change voluntarily at this scale.” Despite heavy investment in AI infrastructure, Sorrell said spending on the technology should not be mistaken for a fundamental shift in how companies operate. Most businesses remain focused on experimenting with AI rather than committing to large-scale transformation. “My view is that you will not get huge implementation transformation until there's econom