From Adweek · Brittaney Kiefer · · 2m
Inside WPP's AI-Powered London production hub
WPP opens Devon's Point, a 34,000-square-foot London studio combining AI, virtual production, and human creativity to help brands make more content faster.
In brief
WPP opens Devon's Point, a 34,000-square-foot London studio combining AI, virtual production, and human creativity to help brands make more content faster. WPP is betting that combining AI tools with human craft and virtual production in one physical space will help clients create massive amounts of content without…
WPP opens flagship AI production hub
WPP unveiled Devon's Point, a 34,000-square-foot London studio that combines AI-powered, virtual, and human-led production under one roof. It's the first of several global hubs the company plans to open.
Part of WPP's broader restructuring
Devon's Point follows WPP's February launch of WPP Production, a 10,000-person division created as part of the company's Elevate28 turnaround plan. The restructuring split WPP into four business units to simplify operations.
Virtual production replaces expensive location shoots
A Ford car was filmed driving through Paris, the Swiss Alps, and Tokyo without leaving the London studio. Virtual backgrounds created with AI tools let WPP avoid expensive location shoots while maintaining creative control.
“We no longer need to spend our clients' budgets on expensive shoots abroad. We can do it right here without even leaving the studio.”
AI grey box merges human craft with generative tools
A crew shot a social series for beauty brand No7 using real actors, props, and sets alongside AI tools that quickly replace details. This hybrid approach speeds production from weeks to days while preserving human creativity.
Two-story prop store reduces waste
Devon's Point houses a two-story prop store with reusable furniture, costumes, and wardrobe, plus an in-house workshop. Reusing props instead of discarding them after single use cuts waste and emissions.
Training program for AI-native creative talent
HEX, WPP's creative technology studio, will run a 10-month training program for emerging talent at Devon's Point. WPP CEO Cindy Rose said human creativity remains essential to stand out as AI removes content creation constraints.
“We're doubling down and investing in the next generation of AI-native creative talent.”
Solving the sea of sameness problem
As AI makes unlimited content volume possible, brands face a sea of sameness. WPP's hub aims to solve this by combining AI efficiency with exceptional human creativity and big ideas that clients need to differentiate.
“The answer to that has to be exceptional human creativity, craft, and big ideas that are more important to our clients than ever before.”
In short
WPP is betting that combining AI tools with human craft and virtual production in one physical space will help clients create massive amounts of content without falling into generic sameness.
