This is not a pilot: lessons from Reckitt’s global rollout of agentic AI

Built in partnership with Empathy Lab, the platform includes 10 integrated tools – from brand strategy assistants to media planning and performance monitoring. But while the tech is advanced, it’s not about full autonomy just yet. “I think from here it’ll be the evolution into those fully autonomous workflows,” said Sameen Gul, Reckitt’s global product director for digital and GenAI.

“People are still nervous about taking the hands completely off controls,” adds Billings – but part of what makes this different from the usual chatbot hype is its application. “When we talk about agents, often we’re talking about workflows where the agent steps outside of the chat window. Retrieving data, triggering machine learning (ML) models – that’s where it starts to drive real value.”

Matt Carter, head of industry strategy for advertising at AWS, who joined the panel to give his view on the broader topic of agentic AI, explains: “Agents are able to reason through multi-step workflows and deliver actionable responses. It’s not just analysis – it’s optimization. And to make that work, the data has to be ready. Our main focus is on data foundations,” he says. “It’s making sure that advertisers have data in the right place, structured the right way, so they can get the most out of these solutions.”

For now, Reckitt is focused on unlocking real, measurable value. “Insights are being generated 40% faster,” says Gul. “Innovation concepts are testing two to four times better. But most of all, it’s measurable.”

But that kind of impact doesn’t happen in isolation, it requires alignment across the business. “This isn’t a technology transformation. It isn’t a marketing transformation. It’s a collaborative transformation,” says Billings. “And you’ve absolutely got to get all the stakeholders invested from day one.”

And speaking from experience, Gul offers a word of advice: “Be very intentional. Place your bets. Build with your people. And don’t wait. Start reskilling now.”

Watch the full session on The Drum TV to hear more from Reckitt, and how other large advertisers can start to unlock the potential of agentic AI today.