WPP Launches a Self-Serve Version of Its AI Platform To Court Small Bi…

WPP Open Pro will be piloted by Google and some other undisclosed WPP clients. Initial feedback from clients has been “tremendous,” according to McNeany.

Google and WPP earlier this month announced a five-year extension of their ongoing partnership focused on advancing AI and cloud technologies for marketing. As part of that arrangement, WPP has pledged $400 million to bake Google AI tools into WPP Open. 

Google declined to comment.

AI push

WPP Open Pro comes as the holding company aims to further align itself with AI to turn around its sinking fortunes.

Since it launched last year, WPP Open got a shiny upgrade in June with the launch of Open Intelligence, a foundational LLM trained specifically for marketing use cases. The platform has also added an integration with TikTok’s generative AI tools. Today, it’s used by brands including L’Oréal, LVMH, and Nestlé. 

The launch of WPP Open Pro is among the first major announcements under new WPP CEO Cindy Rose, the Microsoft and Disney alum who succeeded Mark Read on September 1.

Rose’s appointment came after a grueling few years under Read’s leadership in which WPP suffered significant profit losses, client departures, and felt the squeeze of Trump-era tariffs—all while battling rivals over AI promises. 

The rollout of WPP Open Pro, she hopes, will give the holdco the opportunity to expand into new markets.

In a statement shared with ADWEEK, Rose said WPP Open Pro’s low barrier to entry will put the company’s AI marketing capabilities “directly into the hands of a much wider array of brands and businesses.” If successful, the shift could drive revenues and bolster WPP’s business more broadly.