How Top Agencies Are Using AI Without Losing Control

Over 60% of US agency decision-makers report their agencies are already using generative AI, with another 31% actively exploring its potential, according to Forrester’s 2024 report on generative AI adoption.

Even now, that momentum isn’t slowing down. About 78% of bigger agencies are already using it.

It makes sense, though. AI tools are drafting content, updating old web pages, tidying formatting, and improving SEO within minutes.

But speed isn’t everything. 80% of multinational brands worry about how agencies are using generative AI, with legal (66%), ethical (51%), and reputational (49%) risks causing the most concern, the World Federation of Advertisers reports.

Most agencies seem to be stumbling right where efficiency meets risk, and that’s exactly where a smarter, more careful use of AI has to start.

Editor's Note: This is a sponsored article created in partnership with Web Loft Designs.

How Content Strategy Drives Smart AI

Web Loft Designs focuses on the strategy behind content by understanding the brand voice, customer challenges, and knowing when content needs a careful, human touch.

According to Marina Marsh, Founder and President of Web Loft Designs, agencies can risk putting out the wrong tone, wrong message, and wrong priorities.

“We've seen drafts that sound nothing like the brand or ignore what the customer actually cares about. Speed means nothing if the content confuses or turns people off.”

The web design and development agency believes a smart use of AI starts with a clear strategy that puts the audience, where they are in the buying journey, and the content’s purpose front and center.

This is how that looks in practice:

• Define who the content is for, whether it’s businesses or consumers, first-time visitors or returning customers
• Pinpoint where the audience is in their buying journey, whether it’s awareness, consideration, or decision
• Be clear about what action you want the reader to take, like clicking a link or signing up
• Use AI to generate ideas and drafts, but always review and edit with purpose
• Build a strong internal process to check content before it goes live, ensuring it stays on message and error-free

Web Loft Designs uses tools like ChatGPT to identify the target audience, whether business or consumer, new or returning, and to determine the customer’s stage and desired action. This keeps control where it belongs, making sure each piece fits the brand and drives results.

The agency keeps AI-generated content in check without losing the human touch by:

1. Building tone templates for each client based on their existing copy and marketing materials
2. Feeding sample content into language models with clear instructions like “Keep tone confident but not pushy. Avoid fluff. Write like a human who understands the product.”
3. Running regular side-by-side comparisons to ensure the tone stays consistent
4. Fact-checking all content for accuracy, especially in regulated industries
5. Reviewing every piece for tone, clarity, and repetition before approval
6. Testing SEO alignment through tools like Surfer, Clearscope, or manual keyword review

Above all else, the process ensures that content remains true to the brand while meeting high standards for quality and effectiveness.

“We treat AI-generated content as a first draft, not a finished product,” Marsh said.

Large language models are powerful tools, but they need clear direction to be effective.

The best agencies use AI thoughtfully, keeping control firmly in human hands. Marketers should experiment with these tools, but always put the customer and strategy first.

At its best, AI is a helpful assistant and not the one making the decisions.