Cannes Lions 2025: Democratizing creAItivity

There's no denying AI’s dominance at Cannes Lions 2025, with industries recognizing its potential.

“AI is the most transformative technology since the internet,” said Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon. “I think it’s going to change every customer experience that we know, it’s going to change the way we live, and it’s going to change the way we work.”

SAS 8902 — Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI

When it comes to creativity, AI is expected to be the transformative tool that can democratize and allow people to make the impossible possible. “Computers are going to speak natural language, you won’t really need to look at the code very much, if at all,” said Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI. He believes “we’re now in a moment where the friction of producing an idea and getting my imaginative thought out is going to completely collapse.”

Tor Myhren, VP of Communications at Apple, calls AI “mind-blowing” and “revolutionary.” He says “it’s the most exciting creative tool we’ve seen in our lifetime" and expects it will be “woven into every single aspect of what we do and every single aspect of the creative process.” Despite AI’s impressive role in our lives, Myhren believes AI will neither kill or save advertising: "We've got to save ourselves, and I think it’s by believing in what has always made this industry so special, which is human creativity.”

This sentiment aligns with VML Intelligence’s global data from “The Future 100: 2025,” where 76% of people agree technology will never take creativity away from humanity – it’s part of who we are.

4 Z4 A6678 — Project Fizzion by Adobe and Coca-Cola

Adobe and Coca-Cola collaborated for Project Fizzion, an AI-powered design system that allows for design at scale. Dominik Heinrich, Senior Director, Global Design Intelligence and Human AI Experiences at Coca-Cola, tells VML Intelligence that with Project Fizzion, “designers still have full control, but the boring stuff that is annoying to most designers, the machine does,” thereby allowing designers to focus on the details, creative and fun. When it comes to the future of AI, Henrich says, “creativity is fundamental in the future to elevate design, push the boundaries and create things that lie underneath.” He believes “designers lead” and will take “AI to the next level.”

SAS 6892 — Sir John Hegarty with his AI-generated younger self

Sir John Hegarty definitely took AI to the next level during his keynote when he summoned his AI-generated younger self from 45 years ago and had a brief conversation. He used this to highlight the creative possibilities AI has to offer—the prospect that the founder never dies—thanks to AI bringing about digital immortality. An example he gave was Coco Chanel, being able to speak to her with today’s beliefs being incorporated into theirs. Hegarty views AI as a collaborator that's “democratizing opportunity” and giving people the chance to “rethink the next Renaissance.”

AI is going to change every customer experience that we know, and you can’t help but invest expansively in AI.

Andy Jassy

CEO of Amazon

Ultimately, the transformational force of AI is taking place right now. It's expected to shape industries, our lives, and democratize creativity as well as uplevel it for all. As Jassy said, “AI is going to change every customer experience that we know, and you can’t help but invest expansively in AI.”

In the spirit of democratizing creativity, VML Intelligence used Adobe Firefly through Adobe Express to create a bespoke campaign at Cannes Lions festival.