Publicis says AI marketing is developing at two speeds, with agentic AI helping win clients

On October 20, 2026, Publicis Groupe discussed diverging trends in its AI marketing business while announcing its third-quarter results. CEO Arthur Sadoun likened the opportunities to a “two-speed boat”: its digital consulting division, Publicis Sapient, is facing challenges in growing its AI business, while its agentic AI capabilities have helped it win two major clients without participating in traditional pitches.

These developments point to two different aspects of AI marketing commercialization: new capabilities can create concrete client opportunities, but turning those opportunities into sustained business growth is another matter. The two client wins therefore demonstrate the client-acquisition value of agentic AI, but are not enough to show that the business’s growth challenges have been resolved.

One noteworthy detail is the change in how clients are acquired. In both cases, agentic AI capabilities helped Publicis Sapient secure engagements without going through a traditional pitch. This suggests that specific capabilities can serve as a direct entry point when clients select a service provider. However, these two cases are not enough to support the conclusion that traditional pitches will be widely replaced.

If this approach to client acquisition continues to emerge, its effects may first be felt in the sales and solution-presentation stages of marketing services. Service providers will need to demonstrate more clearly what specific problems agentic AI can solve and how those capabilities can be incorporated into actual delivery. For clients, whether capability demonstrations translate reliably into project results will also affect future collaboration.

At this point, the event most directly supports an observation about changes in client acquisition. Whether agentic AI also improves delivery efficiency, service quality, or project returns will require further evidence from business performance. What remains to be seen is whether this approach to client acquisition can be repeated and whether new engagements can become a sustained driver of growth for Publicis Sapient.