Key Takeaways:
- Nearly 80% of marketers use AI, but only 43% understand it. It’s a leadership issue, not just a tech one.
- AI is shifting from post-campaign analysis to real-time strategic decisions, requiring continuous human oversight.
- JumpFly integrates AI to assist human decision-making, not replace it, with clear objectives and oversight.
Nearly 80% of marketers use AI, but only 43% truly understand it, according to a 2024 survey by Statista. That’s not just a tech problem, it’s a leadership one.
Brad Garlin, Founding Partner at JumpFly, has spent more than 20 years in digital advertising. But he’s the first to say experience alone won’t keep agencies competitive anymore.
He also cautions that automation, left unchecked, can derail even the most promising campaigns.
Rather than chasing the latest tech trend, Brad and his team focus on using AI to make smarter, faster decisions with greater precision.
In our interview, he reveals how AI is changing the way performance marketing works, why human oversight is more important than ever, and what agencies must do now to keep their edge.
Who Is Brad Garlin?
Brad Garlin is a founding partner at JumpFly, where he leads strategic growth and innovation. Since co-founding the company in 2003, he has helped build JumpFly into a premier digital advertising agency. Today, Brad continues to guide JumpFly's vision while actively exploring new divisions, partnerships, and growth opportunities.
Editor’s Note: This is a sponsored article created in partnership with JumpFly.
With the buzz around artificial intelligence, many businesses are rushing to implement it. Unfortunately, many do so without a clear strategy in place.
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Brad warns that’s a recipe for trouble:
“Relying on AI without adequate oversight often leads to unintended consequences. Advertisers may be too willing to accept AI-generated suggestions without the vital knowledge and experience necessary to guide them toward optimal outcomes.”
It’s a mistake JumpFly avoided by putting guardrails in place from the beginning. Rather than viewing AI as a magic fix, Brad’s team saw it as a way to assist human decision-making, rather than replace it.
“AI can be incredibly powerful, but it must be carefully guided in order to maximize its effectiveness,” Brad adds.
How JumpFly Integrated AI Without Losing Control
Integrating AI requires clear direction, ongoing collaboration, and a focus on adding real value
JumpFly started the adoption process by identifying AI-driven opportunities to improve staff efficiency and client performance.
That buy-in was crucial.
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And to keep momentum going, the agency created an internal AI Committee.
“Our dedicated AI Committee works hand-in-hand with our technology team to continuously enhance and improve this platform, ensuring it delivers increasing value and deeper insights with every update,” Brad says.
That foundation made it easier to put AI to work, like using it to quickly understand how people were reacting to Facebook ads and make smarter changes faster.
This approach has brought real value to clients, allowing for quicker adjustments and better marketing campaign performance.
“Social media ads can sometimes generate hundreds of responses, making manual review incredibly time-consuming,” Brad explains.
“Our AI-driven sentiment analysis can instantly assess the tone of customer interactions, identify when ads generate comments that require closer attention, and trigger real-time adjustments to messaging or offers.”
That’s the kind of scalable efficiency that AI was meant to deliver, but only when paired with clear objectives and human oversight.
AI as a Real-Time Strategist, Not a Retrospective Tool
The biggest shift Brad has seen in AI’s role this year? It’s moved from being a rearview mirror to a copilot. According to Brad, every day presents new ideas, opportunities, and potential.
But the biggest change he’s seen is AI’s evolution from a post-campaign analysis tool into a real-time strategic partner in decision-making.
“AI continues to evolve, becoming increasingly powerful and necessary to maintain a competitive advantage,” he adds.
And he doesn’t mince words when asked what’s missing from most conversations around AI: accountability.
He explains that human oversight is still a crucial factor in AI-driven online marketing. And while AI offers great benefits in optimization, targeting, and automation, it’s not a “set-it-and-forget-it solution” or replacement for strategic analysis.
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The problem is that algorithms can sometimes prioritize short-term wins over long-term growth and customer trust.
Brad believes leaders should be having deeper conversations about balancing AI’s automation with human intuition, ethical judgment, and creative strategy.
Performance marketing, after all, isn’t just about squeezing out lower CPAs. It’s about growth that lasts — and doesn’t burn bridges in the process.
“It’s about creating sustainable success in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, without damaging a brand’s reputation, values, or trustworthiness,” Brad explains.
Lead the Machine — Don’t Let It Lead You
AI is here to stay. The question is whether leaders are ready to take responsibility for how they use it.
As Brad puts it: Those who don’t embrace it will be left behind. But AI must be fully understood because it cannot operate effectively on its own.
“We must also envision how the advertising environment will transform over the next three to five years. To remain competitive, we must fully embrace AI.
As online advertising continues to evolve at a staggering pace, future success will depend not only on adopting AI but on mastering this powerful technology and understanding how to harness its full potential.”
His advice for agency leaders? Embrace AI, but don’t check your judgment at the door. That’s what will separate the winners from the ones simply watching the algorithm run.
Prioritize transparency and strategic oversight to ensure AI drives sustainable growth without compromising brand integrity.
