The main focus of Kurt Foster’s session at DrupalSouth Melbourne was helping digital agencies move from AI hype to AI strategy. Based on Salsa Digital’s internal experience and broader industry shifts, he laid out a roadmap for adopting AI in a way that’s practical, responsible and aligned with real business goals. Kurt argued that while AI presents exciting opportunities, it also requires agencies to rethink how they assess value, manage change and build a culture of innovation.
Forming an AI strategy for a digital agency: a summary
In his DrupalSouth session, Kurt Foster outlined a clear and structured approach to developing an AI strategy tailored to digital agencies. He explained that, with the rapid evolution of generative tools, agencies must move beyond hype or hesitation and instead adopt a strategic mindset.
Kurt compared the current AI boom to the early days of the internet, where many embraced the technology without knowing what to do with it. He argued that the same pattern is playing out now, with agencies either chasing trends or resisting AI entirely. But neither approach will help teams stay competitive. The key, he said, lies in understanding what problems AI can actually solve and aligning its use with real business needs.
He pointed out that generative AI is already changing how people discover and consume information. Tools like are starting to replace traditional search, while Google itself now serves AI-generated summaries at the top of results pages. This shift is raising client expectations, as organisations want faster, more intuitive and more personalised digital experiences. Agencies that respond strategically will be better positioned to deliver on those demands.
Throughout the talk, Kurt presented a roadmap for integrating AI in a way that’s deliberate, responsible and adaptable. He emphasised the importance of readiness assessments, aligning AI initiatives with business goals and embedding strong governance practices. Drawing on Salsa Digital’s own experience, he also highlighted the cultural and operational changes needed to successfully adopt AI within a digital agency.
How to use AI in your agency: moving from vision to pilots
Kurt emphasised that forming an AI strategy isn’t about chasing trends. It starts with honest reflection. Where does your agency currently stand in terms of AI knowledge, usage and capability? Are you experimenting with tools here and there, or are you building toward something more deliberate?
He encouraged agencies to treat AI like any other new business initiative. That means assessing current capabilities, identifying opportunities, aligning AI with core business goals and defining clear objectives. Instead of trying to become an “AI agency,” the aim should be to embed AI where it supports your existing mission, whether that’s delivering better websites, improving customer experience or streamlining internal operations.
Once strategic alignment is in place, Kurt recommended breaking the roadmap into phases. Start with low-risk, high-impact pilots, such as using AI code editors in development. Then scale to medium-term projects like internal knowledge base chatbots and finally plan for long-term transformation, such as offering AI-powered services.
To prioritise ideas, Kurt shared a simple value-effort matrix: if an idea delivers strong business value with relatively low effort, it’s a good candidate for an early pilot. On the other hand, even good ideas should be dropped if they demand too much time and deliver little value.
Handling AI rollouts: people, training and governance
Introducing AI into an agency takes more than new tools. It requires clear leadership, thoughtful planning and strong internal alignment. Kurt stressed the importance of identifying internal champions, team members who can explore AI tools, test use cases and share insights across the business. These champions help build confidence, reduce resistance and drive a culture of learning. He also advised tailoring training based on where staff sit on the adoption curve. Those keen on experimenting may need more support with compliance, while sceptical staff may need practical examples of how AI can support their day-to-day work.
Governance also plays a critical role. Agencies need policies that guide safe and responsible use, supported by clear communication and real enforcement. This includes aligning with local regulations, embedding rules into existing workflows and regularly reviewing them as both internal processes and external frameworks evolve.
Finally, Kurt advised against treating AI as a one-off project. Ongoing support, resourcing and training are essential to ensure the business keeps pace with the rapid evolution of the AI landscape.
Inside Salsa’s approach to AI adoption
Kurt shared that Salsa Digital’s AI journey started the same way he recommended other agencies begin, by focusing on real problems, starting small and learning fast. Rather than launching a large AI program, the team explored lightweight experiments that could offer quick value without major disruption.
Some of these early steps included experimenting with AI-powered documentation, using large language models to assist with knowledge base access and building custom tools to support staff workflows. Throughout the process, Salsa encouraged internal champions to lead exploration, documented what worked and stayed close to real business needs.
Crucially, Kurt noted that Salsa treated AI adoption like any other new business function. That meant being deliberate, setting clear goals and continuously iterating based on outcomes. This approach helped the team avoid hype-driven distractions and build a practical, grounded AI capability that can scale over time.
Scale AI use by building feedback loops and resourcing for change
Once pilot projects are underway, the focus should shift to scaling what's working and embedding change across the organisation. Kurt recommended measuring success based on how your business already tracks progress. Whether that’s KPIs, OKRs or internal strategy frameworks, the key is to align AI metrics with existing systems so results are easy to interpret and act upon. He also mentioned the importance of continuous feedback, reviewing what worked, what didn’t and where adjustments are needed.
As AI becomes more embedded in business workflows, teams need to plan for long-term maintenance. That means setting aside resources for updates, ongoing training and policy reviews. AI isn’t just a short-term experiment. Like any other strategic function, it requires ongoing support.
Conclusion
Kurt’s session offered a grounded and practical guide for digital agencies navigating the fast-moving world of AI. Rather than jumping on the latest tools or waiting for a perfect use case, he encouraged agencies to start where they are, aligning AI with real business goals, empowering internal champions and investing in structured governance from the beginning.
The key message was that AI is not a silver bullet or a short-term trend. It’s a new capability that, when adopted intentionally, can help agencies improve delivery, efficiency and innovation. But doing so requires a clear strategy, phased rollouts and a culture that supports learning and change.
About Kurt Foster
Kurt is responsible for the overall technical direction of Salsa and our tech team. Kurt’s focus is on executing our strategic technology roadmap and providing technical advice that will shape Salsa’s operations. He also directs the forward-thinking and technically exciting opportunities that arise for Salsa.