2026 is the year AI stops asking for instructions and starts understanding intent.
Creative work isn’t just speeding up.It’s getting smarter, more intuitive, and more human.
In 2026, the most valuable creatives won’t 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.
What you’ll 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.
What’s coming in AI in 2026 (and why creatives should care)
This next chapter of AI isn’t louder. It’s 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, don’t describe. You iterate in motion, not just text.
The “prove it” era replaces the “pilot it” era
The novelty phase is over. AI now has to earn its place.
Speed, quality, and brand integrity aren’t optional; they're expected.
Human taste becomes the differentiator
As AI scales output, sameness becomes the risk.
What stands out isn’t who can generate it’s who can direct, curate, and decide when enough is enough.
Generative Engine Optimisation: creativity for an AI-first search world
Discovery is shifting. Content isn’t 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
If creative work is becoming more intuitive, tools need to meet creatives where they already think not force them into rigid systems.
That’s why Pencil’s 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
Here’s what’s coming…
What’s coming in Pencil
Next year, Pencil gets less “chat tool” and more “creative machine.”
Here’s what we’re quietly (and not-so-quietly) building:
Agent Builder (coming soon)🤖
Soon you’ll 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)⏩
Multi-step creative work is about to get smoother.
Think: idea → refine → adapt → version without the manual glue in between.
Infinite Canvas (coming soon)🎨
A new way to organise projects when “folders” just aren’t enough.
More visual. More connected. Built for creative brains that don’t think in lists.
Prompt Input-Form (coming soon)📄
Prompting won’t feel like guesswork for much longer.
More structure, clearer intent, better outputs especially when brand assets and references are involved.
Conversation Starters (coming soon)🫂
Starting won’t 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.
What’s new for Community (2026)
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 examples
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 What’s 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.
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
