Better ads with AI? Experts weigh in

Could AI help marketers produce better ads, faster? Speakers explored that question during the “Creative at Scale: Can AI Make Performance Ads Better, Faster & Smarter” panel, held on 04 November at Affiliate Grand Slam in Rome.

Phoenix Ha, Founder and CEO of PYRA Creative LLC, moderated the discussion with Marisha Lakhiani, Chief Growth Officer at Mindvalley, and Zach Murray, Founder of Foreplay.co.

The conversation addressed how teams can learn from successful advertisements, use customer information and give AI a useful role in creative production.

Different approaches to a winning advertisement

Murray recommended making substantially different versions of a successful ad to identify what actually drove its results. Changing the format, concept or presentation could reveal whether the original success depended on its message, delivery or another element.

“The thing I wouldn’t do is just swap out hooks,” he said, referring to the opening words or visuals designed to capture attention.

Lakhiani described a different approach, which is retaining the underlying idea whilst testing smaller changes. She recalled an internal exercise in which three people produced 200 ads in an hour using AI. An advertisement she considered visually unappealing performed well, prompting further variations on the same idea.

Customer understanding comes before production

Lakhiani explained that she gave AI access to customer stories to help it understand people’s problems, desired outcomes and motivations. That information guided advertisements intended to speak to the right audience.

She also stressed the importance of understanding how familiar customers already are with a product category. In a crowded market, brands need to explain what makes their offer different.

Murray acknowledged competitor research as a useful starting point, but recommended looking beyond direct rivals when seeking new ideas. Advertisements from unrelated or neighbouring categories could inspire approaches a team might otherwise overlook.

Ha added that customer reviews and online discussions offered material for research, helping teams understand the questions and concerns advertisements should address.

More advertisements do not automatically mean growth

Lakhiani questioned the value of producing hundreds or thousands of variations without a clear reason to test them. Each test requires advertising spend. She preferred selecting promising ideas, scaling successful work and refreshing content regularly.

Murray said volume could help when nothing was working and a team urgently needed a successful approach. For an established campaign, however, he suggested exploring formats or production techniques that had previously been too expensive.

Both speakers stressed that producing more ads does not mean every version is worth spending money on.

People direct the systems

Lakhiani argued that people should provide AI with context, data and suitable instructions, then test its output rather than dismiss unexpected ideas.

She described building systems that handled repetitive execution so her team could spend more time on campaign ideas and strategy.

Murray similarly emphasised the value of business knowledge and creative judgement. AI gave experienced people more ways to execute ideas, but useful results still depended on understanding the business and choosing a direction.

The minds behind creative production and customer acquisition

Ha is Founder and CEO of PYRA Creative LLC. Her background began in modelling before moving into influencer and experiential marketing.

Lakhiani is Chief Growth Officer at Mindvalley, where her work covers product launches and customer acquisition strategies, drawing on creative development and analysis.

Murray founded Foreplay.co, a software platform for advertising creative workflows. His background includes design, video production and running a motion-design agency. Foreplay began as a tool for saving ads and grew into a platform where teams could research advertising ideas, organise references and plan new campaigns together.

About Affiliate Grand Slam

Affiliate Grand Slam welcomes the performance marketing community to Fiera Roma from 02-05 November 2026. Part of SiGMA Group’s Rome events, AGS offers conference discussions, exhibitor meetings and opportunities to exchange ideas with affiliates, advertisers, media buyers and creators.

Explore the remaining sessions and plan your visit through the Affiliate Grand Slam Rome programme.