Amid AI anxiety, digital overload and cultural chaos, Kim Looringh van Beeck, senior director at Invicomm, is feeling unexpectedly optimistic about a return to human creativity and real connection.

We all survived 2025 somehow. ChatGPT made anyone who writes for a living question their human worth, newsrooms got smaller again, we kept TikTok-ing our way through ever-shorter attention spans and to kick off 2026, just when we thought things couldn't get more surreal, what once seemed fantastical is now normal.  It's only early January and tumultuous doesn't even begin to describe events over the last week.  All the while, the human loneliness epidemic continues, somehow growing the noisiest, most connected age yet.  

On paper none of it screams ‘joyful year ahead’ but as I opened my inbox last week, I actually felt more motivated than ever to get back to my desk. Chaos, I’ve learned, can bring innovation and change. (And yes, I’ll admit I borrowed that sentiment straight from the Stranger Things finale, which was very much my festive TV, along with 34.5 million others who tuned in during the week between Christmas and New Year.)   

So, here’s why I’m feeling optimistic… 

1) AI content won’t overtake human creativity 
2025 was filled with lots of ‘hot takes’ on AI, mostly from people who aren’t AI experts. (I can of course see the irony in adding one more opinion to the pile here, but please, bear with.) AI content can be polished but it’s missing the human spark. That doesn’t mean we can’t use those tools to make our lives easier, but clients and audiences are increasingly craving the real and imperfect human touch. The New York Times calls this something along the lines of a return to “wabi-sabi” but really it’s simple: we want to consume things that weren’t generated by a bot. Building images and solutions that are both innovative and unmistakeably human, by talented – and human – creative thinkers is non-negotiable. You need to stand out in a world full of AI slop.  

2) Comms is more important than ever before 
We are chronically over-communicated with. Data isn’t private anymore and one ill-timed photo can turn into a corporate crisis. My favourite example last year? A CEO caught cuddling up to his HR manager at a Coldplay concert, instant viral fodder. (Followed by a very smart PR response, bravo Astronomer.) This underscores the need for a robust comms adviser, someone who knows your organisation inside out. When a crack appears, it takes much longer to fix if the person trying to undo the knot doesn’t truly understand the company, its culture and how it communicates. If the clock is running on a crisis, you can’t be busy learning everyone’s names.  

Trusted relationships like these take decades to cultivate and that kind of continuity means working with an adviser who can act fast and contain the story before it becomes a meme.  

3) A return to connection 

Instead of speaking like robots or recycling content everyone’s already seen, let’s remember we’re human beings talking to human beings and ask ourselves, how would we like to be communicated with? I remember a strategy meeting for a corporate birthday celebration marking an organisational milestone. The usual party was proposed but the company had just completed a major sustainability initiative. I suggested reallocating the party budget to hire a new Head of Sustainability while also giving staff a meaningful reward for their hard work. A bonus, after all, can feel much more personal and impactful than a slice of cake. Window dressing wasn’t holding up then and it certainly won’t feel meaningful in 2026. Let’s talk about people, not ‘audiences’ or ‘stakeholders’.  

Looking ahead 

So what’s on my 2026 bingo card? Human creativity, smart comms and real connection.  If 2025 taught us anything, it’s that tools and trends come and go but people – genuine thoughtful humans – remain irreplaceable and we’re all looking for connection. 

This year I want to create, communicate and connect with that principle front and centre. Because at the end of the day, that’s what makes our work matter and, frankly, it makes it fun too. Now, time to run this through ChatGPT for an edit. Looking forward to 2026.