Short answer: Nah, not even close :)
AI is killer at cranking out logos in seconds, spitting variations of color palettes, generating mood boards, or even hyperrealistic images in minutes (with the right prompt). Hell, we use it ourselves to expand the emotional storytelling without breaking the bank.
But here’s the honest bit: AI is a ridiculously powerful tool, but not the brains behind the wheel. It can copy styles, remix trends and flood you with options... but it can’t sit in a call and actually feel your founder energy, then distill that into a positioning that screams "this is 100 % us". It can’t read the room when your team says one thing but really means something else. It can’t push back on your sacred cows, spot the hidden bullshit in your brief or help you own something bolder than you thought possible. And it definitely can’t craft a brand story that makes people think "these guys actually get me".
From what we’re seeing right now in 2026: AI has left the hype phase and become basic infrastructure. The agencies that win aren’t the ones pretending it doesn’t exist or the ones handing everything over to ChatGPT, Grok, Claude, Gemini, Nano Banana, Adobe Firefly or Midjourney and calling it a day. The winners are bolting AI onto sharp human strategy, gut feel, nuance and creative balls. Pure AI? Fast, cheap and forgettably average.
So no, AI won’t replace a good branding agency. But agencies that master AI while keeping the human spark will eat everyone else’s lunch. We’re firmly in camp one. Want to see what happens when sharp brains + smart AI collide on your brand? Drop us a line and let’s make something that actually hits different.