The OLIVER AI Council consists of leaders from within OLIVER as well as key clients and industry experts to ensure the rounded and responsible use of AI as it continues its rapid evolution. The Council meets monthly to review the latest industry developments from a technology, ethics, marketing and talent perspective. Outputs from the Council will form the basis of OLIVER’s approach to how the agency’s people and clients use AI.  

Key outputs of the council include:

• Review of recent case studies and learnings to encourage education and collaboration for future policies
• Roundtable discussion on topical issues and market developments
• Review of impacted policies, guidelines, and guidance for amendment
• Published findings to support the broader industry on their AI journeys, from the frontlines of adoption.

The initiative is spearheaded by a seven-strong global OLIVER team that includes Simon Martin, founder and Chief Executive of the OLIVER and Inside Ideas Group (IIG); Richard Stainer, Chief Executive Officer, global clients, IIG; Jason Bailis, Global COO, OLIVER; Rodrigo Sobral, Global Chief Creative Officer, OLIVER and IIG; Peter van Jaarsveld (UK), IIG Global Head of Production; Rachel Hatton (UK), Global Chief Strategy Officer; and Amina Folarin, CEO, UK Group. Clients and industry luminaries also form part of the council.

Simon Martin, Founder and Chief Executive, OLIVER, said: “The OLIVER AI Council was born from the belief that to get AI right, we need to be very conscious of how we use this technology in its infancy to better support our clients as the technology matures. With the council in place, we are primed to guide our clients on their AI journeys, helping them understand how AI impacts their world, what the use cases could be and how to pilot the technology at every level of operation.

“We intend to publish insights and whatever we learn from the Council industry-wide so it can be used for the good of all,” he added.

Jason Bailis, Global Chief Operating Officer, OLIVER adds: “As part of its internal governance policies, all OLIVER employees must complete mandatory training on AI compliance as part of their standard onboarding schedule, just as they would go through other training such as diversity and inclusion in the workplace. To date, more than 95% of OLIVER employees have completed this training.”

OLIVER’s AI suite encompasses Pencil Pro, an enterprise-level generative AI product, specifically created to meet the needs of global brands. Unilever and Bayer are Pencil Pro launch partners. It also includes OLIVER AI briefing tool, which enables frictionless briefing from a portal, email, WhatsApp and the proverbial napkin, that learns from previous briefs and work, then automatically generates high quality briefs for OLIVER teams within the agency’s dashboard OMG (Oliver Marketing Gateway). The OLIVER AI Chat tool is its brand and output format trained chat enabling fast, accurate and safe use of Open AI API 4 integrated into OMG.

OLIVER’s Global Head of Production and AI Council member, Peter van Jaarsveld, added: “There are endless applications for AI technology, but among that boundless potential there is also considerable risk. AI presents a new frontier of opportunity for brands, but in the absence of official legislation, it’s down to them and their agency partners to embrace AI safely and set-up a shared framework for responsible use.”