Bringing the dead back to life?! Finding Uses, Proving Value and Scaling AI
- anna05637
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
We’re continuing our exploration of Leadership in the Age of AI.
In our latest Tillon Talks webinar, Toby and Martin were joined by David Sheldon-Hicks — Founder and Executive Creative Director of Territory Studio, the film-industry powerhouse known for shaping the future of human–technology interaction through cutting-edge storytelling and design.
Below is a synthesis of the lively and far-reaching discussion!
Framing the Journey
Toby opened the session by revisiting the Tillon Approach to AI — our quadrant model for developing a multidirectional and comprehensive AI strategy encompassing both Top-Down and Bottom-Up activity:
Raising Awareness & Setting Ambition
Discovering What’s There
Finding What’s Working / Proving Value
Providing Plans, Guidance & Enablers
This month’s focus was on the bottom-right quadrant: What works — Finding Uses, Proving Value and Scaling.
A Studio Balancing Innovation and Craft
Few organisations are navigating the balance between AI innovation and human creativity as actively as Territory Studio. We were fortunate to be joined by its founder — and self-described “creative… and nerd” — David Sheldon-Hicks. He shared candid reflections on how his team is exploring use cases, demonstrating value, and scaling AI responsibly across the organisation.
“What is” vs. “What could be?”
David began by outlining his expansive ambition for AI — one rooted in the pursuit of white-space opportunities, not merely incremental optimisation.
“My ambition is… less about how we influence what we're currently doing, it's more about what new opportunities this opens up that hadn't been there before —, and that is super exciting.”
(If you watch the full session, you’ll hear how Territory is using AI to bring great-grandmothers back to life!)
Feeling on the Back Foot
Toby highlighted that many leaders we work with haven’t had the same proximity to technology and would feel less confident setting such an expansive ambition. He asked David what advice he’d give to someone in that position.
David’s guidance was clear: educate yourself.
“The way that I remove anxiety is by educating myself ...explore more, be inquisitive, find out more.”
He also acknowledged the unusual situation leaders now face. Historically, new technologies were adopted by governments and institutions before reaching the home. AI has flipped that pattern.
“It feels like this has just walloped in very quickly, and my kids are using it faster and more effectively than I am.”
Tensions and Trade-offs
This led to a lively discussion on the day-to-day trade-offs leaders like David are navigating:
Using AI to push creative boundaries vs. improving existing systems
Applying AI internally vs. externally with clients
Encouraging experimentation vs. ensuring alignment
Providing governance and guardrails vs. preserving momentum and creativity
Moving fast vs. not cutting the creative process short
These tensions are real, constant, and — when managed well — a catalyst for innovation.
Culture, Trust and Leadership
We closed on a human note: AI introduces uncertainty, and where there’s uncertainty, people need leadership.The message was clear: AI adoption is fundamentally a people-change challenge.
Trust is built through:
Transparent communication
Clear expectations
Early involvement
Visible leadership support
Key Insight: Organisations that speak openly about AI — what it is, what it isn’t, and what it means for people — build confidence and momentum.
Download a summary handout for the webinar here.
What’s Next?
Our next live session will be the final in this series on December 12th : Making AI Scalable and Safe: Operating Models and Behaviours
If you’d like support shaping your AI strategy, designing governance frameworks, or building organisational capability, you can explore our consultation offerings here.
A huge thank-you to David Sheldon-Hicks for such a rich and generous conversation.
We look forward to seeing you at the next session.
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