Decision paralysis and lost conviction

Brand Perspectives 2026, a new report from creative production partner MikeTeevee, gathers in-house creative and marketing leaders from Wayfair, DoorDash, Intuit, Verizon, O2, Canva and Rivian to argue that AI didn't create the industry's problems, it exposed ones already there. James Hurst, executive creative director at HelloFresh, says teams can now generate near-infinite variations at zero cost, which has produced decision paralysis and creatives who defer to committee votes rather than defend their own ideas. Verizon's Jason McKean warns that shrinking junior roles will hollow out the mid-level talent pipeline within a decade. Founder Ellen Utrecht sums up the report's position: speed and volume cannot replace taste, judgment or the confidence to choose.