Marketecture Podcast Summary: Cannes Special with Oleg Korenfeld on Implementing AI at CMI Media Group

Episode Details

• Title: Cannes Special: Oleg Korenfeld from CMI Media Group Gives with a Case Study on Implementing AI at an Agency
• Host: Ari Paparo
• Guest: Oleg Korenfeld, CTO of CMI Media Group and Compass
• Release Date: June 19, 2025

Introduction

In this special Cannes edition of the Marketecture Podcast, host Ari Paparo engages in an insightful conversation with Oleg Korenfeld, the Chief Technology Officer at CMI Media Group and Compass. The discussion delves into the real-world application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within a media agency setting, emphasizing the complexities, challenges, and learnings from their AI implementation journey.

Background of CMI Media Group and AI Initiative

Oleg Korenfeld introduces CMI Media Group as a full-service healthcare media agency under the WPP umbrella. The agency embarked on an AI-driven mission to automate and enhance their media planning processes.

Key Points:

• Agency Focus: Full-service media planning and buying within the healthcare sector.
• AI Mission: Automate media planning to handle vast and diverse data sets efficiently.

Notable Quote:

“We were looking to find a way to automate a lot of our processes. One of the processes that we focused on was media planning... It took a lot of time.”
— Oleg Korenfeld [03:09]

Implementation of Generative AI in Media Planning

CMI Media Group aimed to leverage generative AI to assist hundreds of media planners by creating a prompt-based chatbot for querying data.

Challenges Encountered:

• Data Normalization: Consolidating four to five distinct data sets into a unified environment was time-consuming but essential for effective AI application.
• Generative AI Limitations: While generative AI excels in text and image creation, it struggled with consistency in number-based data responses. Repeatedly asking the same questions yielded varying answers, undermining reliability.

Notable Quotes:

“Just because you can do something doesn't mean it will always work... numbers based data sets, it was not that accurate in returning consistent results.”
— Oleg Korenfeld [05:18]

“The biggest surprise was that in generative AI, we know it's great at text, it great at pictures. But when it comes to crunching a lot of different data sets... it would come back sometimes with different answers.”
— Oleg Korenfeld [04:00]

Transition from Generative AI to Predictive AI

Recognizing the inconsistencies of generative AI in handling structured data, CMI Media Group pivoted to a predictive AI model that operates without user prompts.

Key Adjustments:

• Removal of Chatbox: Eliminated the prompt-based interface to prevent unreliable responses.
• Dashboard Integration: Implemented a dashboard that automatically ranks suppliers based on normalized data sets, ensuring consistent and accurate outputs.

Notable Quotes:

“...we ended up doing a predictive AI piece that automatically produces the results now in a dashboard, rather than being prompted.”
— Oleg Korenfeld [08:56]

“...based on these five or four datasets, whichever was obviously needed for that plan, here's how the suppliers were ranked...”
— Oleg Korenfeld [09:07]

Rollout and Adoption

The predictive AI system is live and coincides with the planning season, positioning it as a timely tool for media planners. However, adoption faces hurdles due to the necessity of client approvals, especially given the sensitivity of healthcare data.

Implementation Insights:

• Training: Over two hundred planners were trained to use the new AI-driven tools.
• Client Approvals: Legal and security considerations require thorough vetting, slowing widespread adoption across the agency.

Notable Quotes:

“We need client approvals for any kind of applications of AI on their business. There's security issues... it's very important.”
— Oleg Korenfeld [10:57]

Future Applications of AI in Media Agencies

Oleg outlines plans to extend AI utilization into generating insights from performance reports, aiming to streamline data analysis and presentation tasks that currently consume significant time and resources.

Focus Areas:

• Performance Reporting: Automating the generation and packaging of performance data for marketers.
• Continuous Learning: Enhancing AI models with new data and human intelligence to incorporate emerging suppliers and opportunities.

Notable Quotes:

“Insights is huge... a great place that needs to be addressed and we actually are addressing that as part of this kind of whole kind of automation initiative.”
— Oleg Korenfeld [11:54]

AI's Impact on Media Consolidation

The discussion touches on differing perspectives regarding AI's role in media consolidation. Oleg suggests that while AI is reliant on historical data, human intelligence remains crucial for incorporating new opportunities and suppliers into the AI’s framework.

Key Points:

• Historical Data Dependency: AI recommendations are based on existing data, potentially limiting the incorporation of new or innovative suppliers.
• Human Oversight: Agencies must integrate human insights to ensure AI evolves with the market and includes novel opportunities.

Notable Quotes:

“AI is built on historical data sets... I need to ingest this kind of human intelligence piece to it to say, strategically speaking, this is a great opportunity.”
— Oleg Korenfeld [13:01]

Advice for Product Engineering on AI Projects

Oleg emphasizes the importance of selecting the right AI tools for specific problems and the necessity of meticulous upfront manual work to ensure data accuracy and relevance before automation.

Recommendations:

• Selective Tool Use: Choose AI technologies that precisely address the intended problem.
• Data Validation: Conduct thorough validation of data quality and utility before deploying AI solutions.
• Manual Preparation: Invest time in designing and structuring data and processes to maximize the effectiveness of AI.

Notable Quotes:

“AI is not one monolithic thing, it's a bunch of different technologies built to address often very specific things.”
— Oleg Korenfeld [13:56]

“Upfront manual work... is so valuable to get the automation right.”
— Oleg Korenfeld [14:45]

Conclusion

The episode concludes with Oleg reflecting on the challenges and successes of integrating AI into CMI Media Group’s media planning processes. While generative AI presented initial hurdles, the transition to predictive AI has yielded a more reliable and effective tool for media planners. Oleg remains optimistic about future AI applications, particularly in generating actionable insights, and underscores the importance of strategic planning and data integrity in successful AI implementation.

Final Quote:

“Thank you for subscribing to marketecture.”
— Oleg Korenfeld [14:48]

Key Takeaways

• AI Integration Requires Careful Planning: Understanding the specific needs and outcomes is crucial when selecting and implementing AI technologies.
• Generative AI Limitations: While powerful in certain domains, it may not be suitable for tasks requiring high data accuracy and consistency.
• Predictive AI as a Reliable Alternative: Automating data processing and supplier ranking through predictive AI can enhance efficiency without compromising reliability.
• Human Intelligence Remains Essential: Combining AI with human insights ensures that new opportunities are recognized and integrated effectively.
• Future Directions: Automating insights generation holds significant potential for reducing manual workload and improving data-driven decision-making in media planning.

For more in-depth discussions and the latest insights in advertising and marketing, visit Marketecture's website and subscribe to their podcast on your favorite platform.