Podcast Summary: AdTechGod Pod, Ep. 120
"WPP’s Kate Scott-Dawkins on Predicting the Future of Data, AI, and Advertising’s Next Era"
Date: February 10, 2026
Host: AdTechGod ("Tech God")
Guest: Kate Scott-Dawkins, Global President of Business Intelligence, WPP Media
Main Theme
This episode features Kate Scott-Dawkins, a key figure in global advertising intelligence, as she explores the evolution of data, AI, and the future trajectory of advertising. The conversation focuses on how agencies harness data to anticipate industry changes, the accelerating impact of AI, the consolidation among media owners, and shifts in the creator economy. Kate also spotlights her advocacy for women and girls in STEM through her nonprofit work.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Kate’s Career Journey & Perspective
- Rooted in Marketing & Analytics:
- Kate’s early ambition for international marketing merged with her pattern-analysis skills from linguistics and real-world experience in competitive sports.
- “I thought I wanted to do marketing, but took kind of a convoluted route there... eventually did an undergrad in linguistics, very much pattern analysis, right. So similar to what I'm doing today...” (02:35)
- Essence & WPP Loyalty:
- Emphasizes how ongoing, interesting work and tangible influence on company direction motivated her unusually long tenure.
- “The nice thing about sticking around is you actually get to continue to shape those things and continue to see them get implemented and... influence future direction of the company.” (05:23)
2. The Evolution of Data & Business Intelligence in Advertising
- From Broadcast Era to Data-Driven Insights:
- Shift from traditional, limited audience data to a complex ecosystem of interconnected external (macro) and internal (proprietary) data.
- Synthesis over Granularity:
- Kate’s team focuses on aggregating macro indicators—financial, government, and proprietary client data—to discern and narrate the larger economic and social forces shaping advertising.
- “Our role... is to synthesize all of these things together and be able to draw the bigger picture from that and then crystallize it and explain it to others...” (07:37)
3. Micro & Macro Trends—Continuous Monitoring
- Global Sensitivity:
- The business intelligence function requires perpetual tracking of political, economic, and social shifts, from natural disasters to regulatory changes.
- “My job is to know everything about everything because every industry has to advertise... whether it's a drought in Ecuador or a flood in Pakistan, all of that impacts consumer spending and advertising around the world.” (08:38)
- Industry Consolidation:
- Notes how the top 25 media sellers now control nearly three-quarters of the global advertising market, driven by regulatory and economic factors.
- “We have now the top 25 sellers of advertising, accounting for nearly three quarters of the total industry by the end of this year.” (09:20)
4. Operational Cadence: Real-Time to Forecasting
- Multiple Levels of Reporting:
- Twice-yearly major forecasts, ongoing weekly updates, and ad hoc POVs (points of view) in response to industry news or seismic changes (e.g., new AI ad formats, M&As in streaming).
- “On a daily basis you are reacting to things... learnings, findings from that, the insights... we will be supplying internally into clients on a, at least a weekly basis.” (11:34)
5. Role & Impact of AI in Advertising
- Rapid Evolution:
- Notable pace of change in AI’s capabilities—even within the last six months—and the new opportunities and challenges this brings.
- Human Insight vs. Predictive AI:
- Human-generated insights are still seen as the key differentiator, despite AI’s growing summarization and data-processing strengths.
- “We like to start from human generated insightful thinking that says something that no one has said before...that’s actually our value add...” (13:36)
- AI Embedded Platforms:
- Industry’s early adoption of machine learning (Performance Max, Advantage+), positioning leaders like WPP to capitalize on AI’s next era.
- Preparing Clients:
- Heavy focus on guiding clients through AI transformations, ensuring transparency, and understanding partner roadmaps.
- “How do we talk to clients about that? How do we prepare them for that, and how do we talk to our partners about that and how we view the future…” (15:25)
6. 2026 Ad Industry Trends & Disruption Risks
- AI-Subsidized Services:
- AI chatbots could shift the cost and structure of consumer digital experiences, just as previous advertising-subsidized services did.
- “AI services like chatbots are kind of in the next phase of that...which I think is interesting.” (17:11)
- Risks to Retail Media & Creator Economy:
- AI could disrupt product-focused search and creator content by making AI-generated materials cheaper and more scalable, raising challenges for human creators and certain retail channels.
- “I actually think commerce and creators are potentially at even greater risk from being disrupted by AI in the advertising world...” (19:07)
7. AI Content Authenticity & Creator Economy Future
- Explosion of AI-Generated Content:
- She and the host remark on the proliferation and sometimes indistinguishability of AI content, and consumer fatigue with synthetic creations.
- Host: “The volume that they can create content at is, you know, 100x what anyone else can do just because of the sheer use of technology...” (20:31)
- Potential for Two-tiered Content Markets:
- Kate speculates about future models where “human-only” content could be premium, and discusses the need for watermarks/disclosures.
- “Whether you start to get into paid tiers for human only content or something...open question there as well.” (21:19)
- Progress' Speed:
- Rapid enhancement of AI-generated video and text requires vigilance and proper guardrails within the industry.
- “Take that and apply that sort of exponential to video from today to a year from now. So yeah, we are in this just rapidly evolving world…” (23:33)
8. Advocacy: Women in STEAM and Career Girls
- Supporting STEM Paths:
- Kate champions Career Girls, a global nonprofit that highlights role models for girls in science, tech, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
- “At its simplest a way to close the imagination gap for girls...they have videos of role models...talking about what it is, how they got into it...” (24:49)
- Global Impact & Strategic Involvement:
- Her board work applies her business intelligence experience to nonprofit growth, with footprints in the US and abroad (Atlanta, Tokyo, Addis Ababa, etc.).
- “Being able to bring what I know about growth and company strategy into a nonprofit who maybe doesn't have access to all the same pools of talent.” (27:44)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Staying at WPP:
- “The nice thing about sticking around is you actually get to continue to shape those things and...influence future direction.”
— Kate Scott Dawkins (05:23)
- “The nice thing about sticking around is you actually get to continue to shape those things and...influence future direction.”
- On Scope of Business Intelligence:
- “My job is to know everything about everything because every industry has to advertise...all of that impacts consumer spending and advertising...”
— Kate Scott Dawkins (08:38)
- “My job is to know everything about everything because every industry has to advertise...all of that impacts consumer spending and advertising...”
- On AI’s Current & Future Role:
- “We like to start from human generated insightful thinking that says something that no one has said before...that’s actually our value add...”
— Kate Scott Dawkins (13:36)
- “We like to start from human generated insightful thinking that says something that no one has said before...that’s actually our value add...”
- On Creator Economy Risks:
- “I actually think commerce and creators are potentially at even greater risk from being disrupted by AI in the advertising world...”
— Kate Scott Dawkins (19:07)
- “I actually think commerce and creators are potentially at even greater risk from being disrupted by AI in the advertising world...”
- On Human vs AI Content:
- “Whether you start to get into paid tiers for human only content or something...open question there as well.”
— Kate Scott Dawkins (21:19)
- “Whether you start to get into paid tiers for human only content or something...open question there as well.”
Key Segments & Timestamps
- Kate’s Background & Career Path: 02:35–05:23
- Role of Data & Intelligence at WPP: 06:36–08:18
- Macro Trends, Industry Consolidation: 08:38–10:16
- Operational Workflow with Clients: 10:50–12:27
- AI’s Current Capabilities & Limitations: 12:58–16:02
- 2026 Industry Trends & AI Disruption: 16:47–20:17
- Creator Economy: Challenges & Future: 20:17–23:33
- Career Girls & STEM Advocacy: 24:31–27:44
Tone & Style
The episode was candid, intellectually curious, and accessible. Kate brought both levity (“My job is to know everything about everything... it’s exhausting but also very rewarding”) and analytical clarity to the discussion, emphasizing the constant learning required in advertising intelligence. The host’s enthusiasm and admiration for Kate’s work added a friendly, conversational dynamic.
Conclusion
Kate Scott-Dawkins offers a nuanced, inside look at how data intelligence drives both tactical responses and long-term strategy at WPP Media—illuminating the pivotal role of AI, the industry’s consolidation, and the looming challenges and opportunities rendering the adtech landscape more complex than ever. Her commitment to fostering diversity in STEM fields underscores the importance of broad perspectives as technology’s role deepens in media and advertising.