Forrester: 7.5% of Agency Jobs Will Be Replaced by Automation by 2030 — One-Third of All Positions at Risk

The workforce impact of AI on agencies is becoming clear. Forrester projects 7.5% of agency jobs will be replaced by automation by 2030, with about one-third of all agency positions at risk.

The Most Vulnerable Functions:

• Content production — AI generates at negligible cost
• Copy drafting — LLMs handle at scale
• Basic media buying — Self-serve platforms dominate
• Performance reporting — Automated dashboards standard

The Math:

• 7.5% direct replacement by 2030
• ~33% of positions at structural risk
• Production costs down by an order of magnitude
• 27%+ cost savings for agencies adopting AI

The Consolidation Accelerant:

The Omnicom-IPG merger alone cut ~4,000 jobs. This isn’t cyclical downsizing — it’s structural workforce reduction enabled by AI efficiency.

The Survivor Profile:

Roles that require cross-platform strategic thinking, AI tool orchestration, and human judgment in brand decisions will grow in value. Production roles face displacement.

This is part of a comprehensive analysis. Read the full analysis on The Business Engineer.