Pitching is what many call the “lifeblood” of agencies, but it's also the cause of one of their biggest strains. Almost three-quarters of adland employees have considered leaving the industry due to new-business-related stress, according to research from The Great Pitch Poll 2026, published this summer.

The survey revealed that client expectations and demands relating to AI have increased pressure on agencies. AI and LLMs are also impacting the search and selection process for pitches, with clients using them to suggest agencies to shortlist.

This episode of The Campaign Podcast features Campaign's media editor Beau Jackson, senior reporter Eszter Gurbicz and editor Maisie McCabe discussing to what extent AI is impacting pitching and making it more stressful.

Tech and multimedia editor Lucy Shelley hosts the episode, which also analyses whether the pitch process still works.

Further reading:

• ChatGPT is telling clients to invite my agency to pitch – it's shifting the playing field
• Are clients becoming more demanding?
• Can we talk about the ingredients of VCCP's new-business potion?
• Netflix ad tools could see 'agentic AIs talking to each other'