Inspiration
January 1, 2026
Happy New Year
# Pencil
# Pencil Community
Welcome to 2026
2026 is the year AI stops asking for instructions and starts understanding intent.
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Creative work isnât just speeding up.Itâs getting smarter, more intuitive, and more human.
In 2026, the most valuable creatives wonât be the ones who know how to prompt the hardest , they'll be the ones who know how to direct systems, shape taste, and turn ideas into repeatable momentum.
Pencil is building for that future and our Community is evolving right alongside it.
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What youâll get from this post
A clear look at where AI-powered creativity is heading in 2026, what new tools are coming to Pencil to meet that moment, and how our Community is becoming a more interactive, creator-led space with a simple ask at the end to help shape what comes next.
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Whatâs coming in AI in 2026 (and why creatives should care)
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This next chapter of AI isnât louder. Itâs quieter and more capable...
- Agents move into workflows, not just chat AI stops being something you talk to and starts being something that does. Task-specific agents run multi-step creative processes end to end from exploration to execution without constant supervision.
- Voice and video become default inputs Creativity becomes more natural and less performative. You explain ideas out loud. You show, donât describe. You iterate in motion, not just text.
- The âprove itâ era replaces the âpilot itâ era The novelty phase is over. AI now has to earn its place. Speed, quality, and brand integrity arenât optional; they're expected.
- Human taste becomes the differentiator As AI scales output, sameness becomes the risk. What stands out isnât who can generate itâs who can direct, curate, and decide when enough is enough.
- Generative Engine Optimisation: creativity for an AI-first search world Discovery is shifting. Content isnât just ranked, it's summarized, surfaced, and recombined by AI systems. Creative work now needs to be designed for how machines understand and recommend, not just how humans scroll.
- The rise of the AI-augmented brand creator The creative role expands. Less manual production. More system design. Creators become architects of workflows, stewards of brand voice, and editors of AI-generated possibility.
In short: AI gets better at execution, Humans get more important at deciding what matters.
What that means for Pencil
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If creative work is becoming more intuitive, tools need to meet creatives where they already think not force them into rigid systems.
Thatâs why Pencilâs next wave of features is focused on:
- reducing friction at the start
- removing busywork in the middle
- and keeping creative intent intact all the way through
Hereâs whatâs comingâŚ
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Whatâs coming in Pencil
Next year, Pencil gets less âchat toolâ and more âcreative machine.â
Hereâs what weâre quietly (and not-so-quietly) building:
Agent Builder (coming soon)đ¤
Soon youâll be able to shape agents around how your team actually works, not how a template thinks you should.
More control. More capability. Less tool-hopping.
Workflows (coming soon)âŠ
Multi-step creative work is about to get smoother.
Think: idea â refine â adapt â version without the manual glue in between.
Infinite Canvas (coming soon)đ¨
A new way to organise projects when âfoldersâ just arenât enough.
More visual. More connected. Built for creative brains that donât think in lists.
Prompt Input-Form (coming soon)đ
Prompting wonât feel like guesswork for much longer.
More structure, clearer intent, better outputs especially when brand assets and references are involved.
Conversation Starters (coming soon)đŤ
Starting wonât feel like staring at a blank box.
Expect a more natural way to drop in a brief, share a goal, and get guided into action fast.
Learn more about these over the next few weeks and try them out for yourself once they go live in Platform.Â
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Whatâs new for Community (2026)
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Community next year becomes more interactive, more responsive, and more shaped by you.
1. New programs
- A rewards program with Pencil swag and certifications
- More training courses, including Ethical & Responsible AI and AI 101
- Playbooks built from real workflows and use case examplesÂ
- Articles from teams across the Brandtech Group and the wider marketing world
- Webinars and livestreams with industry experts
2. New rituals (continuing and expanding)
- Bi-weekly Ask the Creative Team
- Weekly Pencil in Practice
- Quarterly Whatâs in Store for Pencil
- Dogfooding Fridays (internal teams)
3. New perks
- Early access to beta releases
- Reward systems tied to participation
- Swag, showcases, and community recognition
The goal is simple:
less broadcasting, more collaboration.
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The ask
Come build with us.
- Join and register for Community events happening throughout the year
- Share your work in the forums or Creative Monthlies Pencil-made or not
- Give feedback in the forums or directly at  [email protected] 
If 2026 is the year creative work becomes more intuitive, this is where you help shape what that intuition looks like.
Come try Pencil and surprise yourself with what creativity can do for you.
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