CANNES — Amy Lanzi, CEO of Digitas North America, stated at the Cannes Lions advertising festival on July 2, 2026, that promises related to artificial intelligence in client pitches are creating detrimental dynamics within the advertising industry. Lanzi expressed the view that the current AI narrative mirrors the earlier programmatic story, where automation was promised but not fully delivered.

During an interview with Nilay Patel in front of a live audience at the Uber Villa, Lanzi said, "We are seeing all kinds of partners offer wild things in the pitch process." She added, "They are coming in all different types — whether it's about free AI, free platform, free whatever — that are creating a dynamic that is not good for all of us in this industry." Lanzi also detailed Digitas's approach, noting, "We started to make our people better unicorns." She advised, "Everyone look at what's on your desk, what's in your day, and think about what you absolutely could build an agent to do and that way we free up our time to do this."

Digitas, a part of Publicis Groupe, has its own product or platform called Digitas AI. Publicis Groupe acquired Influential in 2024, an acquisition that was intended to analyze the creator ecosystem. The Cannes Lions festival, where Lanzi made her comments, takes place in the South of France.

Why It Matters

Amy Lanzi's comments at the Cannes Lions festival address a recurring concern within the advertising industry regarding inflated technological promises in client engagements. Her warning draws a parallel between current AI-related pledges and the past programmatic advertising era, suggesting a pattern of over-promising automation. This perspective highlights potential challenges for agencies and clients in navigating new technologies. The discussion around "free AI" and "free platform" offers points to potential unsustainable commercial models being presented in the marketplace.