Cannes 2025: Where AI Grew Up

Cannes 2025 didn’t just celebrate what’s new. It clarified what’s next. This year marked a shift from experimentation to intelligent execution, where the best work was defined not by any single innovation, but by how well multiple forces were orchestrated.

AI evolved from novelty to necessity. Creators stepped into the role of strategic partners. Cultural fluency emerged as the new creative currency. And integration, not disruption, proved to be the path forward.

The conversation on the Croisette moved past the hype cycle. Instead, it focused on how brands, agencies, and platforms can work in harmony to drive relevance, resonance, and real business outcomes.

Here are three takeaways that signal where creativity goes next.

AI as Creative Collaborator: From Hype to Harmony

The AI narrative has matured. This year, the spotlight was on AI as a creative co-pilot—fueling ideation, accelerating workflows, and amplifying human imagination without replacing it.

Adobe brought this vision to life through immersive demos and future-forward panels that showed how AI can elevate—not dilute—the creative process. The best work at Cannes used AI as a tool to enable ideation, personalization, scale, and speed, all grounded in human insight and strategic clarity.

The industry has moved past the “Will AI replace creatives?” debate. The new mandate: Integrate AI intelligently to unlock deeper relevance and stronger creative outcomes.

The Creator Economy Becomes Strategic Infrastructure

In 2025, creators aren't just content producers, they're cultural architects. As our EVP of Consumer and Content Experience, Cristina Lawrence, put it: “Creators are the new media networks. Organic social is the creative battlefield.”

This year’s lineup featured 150+ hours of programming led by global brands and breakout creators. But the real takeaway is this: Creators don’t just distribute content; they co-create it with a level of authenticity traditional media can’t touch.

That evolution reflects a broader industry shift. As Razorfish CMO Emily Twomey noted, “We’ve seen a shift toward substance over spectacle, where creator marketing is less about reach and more about resonance.”

Razorfish explored this dynamic firsthand with an interactive workshop designed to help brands, agencies, and creators break through the scroll. Featuring Razorfish Director of Social Strategy Chloe Parsons and TikTok creators Missy McIntosh and Marty Miller, the session tackled the moment when a post stops a consumer in their feed—and what turns that spark into a lasting relationship.

Cultural Fluency Becomes Competitive Advantage

This year’s Cannes programming made one thing clear: Cultural fluency isn’t optional. It’s a strategic edge. The most resonant work wasn’t just technically impressive; it was culturally intelligent, emotionally attuned, and deeply aware of context.

Creative luminaries like Jon M. Chu, Bowen Yang, and James Blake underscored a shared message: To make meaningful impact, brands must understand not just what to say, but how, when, and why to say it. The standout campaigns didn’t chase trends; they helped shape them.

But amid that momentum came a caution. As EVP of Consumer and Content Experience, Cristina Lawrence, put it: “We’re drowning in a sea of sameness. Culture is collapsing under copy-paste creativity. Platforms are blending. Brands are blurring.”

This is the new challenge: breaking free from cultural flattening. The winning brands resisted algorithmic safety in favor of creative bravery. They invested in diverse perspectives, honored nuance, and prioritized lived authenticity over manufactured relatability.

The Path Forward: Integration Over Disruption

If Cannes 2024 was about disruption, 2025 was about orchestration. The most impactful work didn’t draw hard lines between AI and human creativity, creators and traditional media, or profit and purpose. Instead, it brought those forces together—seamlessly, strategically.

The winning brands and agencies weren’t chasing the next shiny object. They were building systems—integrated, insight-driven, and built for scale. Success today isn’t about choosing sides; it’s about making all the parts work smarter together.

That means AI-enhanced creativity, creator-led storytelling, and cultural fluency—all working in concert. The end goal isn’t just awards. It’s brand equity. Business outcomes. Cultural resonance.

Across panels, workshops, and  conversations along the Croisette, the takeaway was consistent: The future of creativity isn’t about any single innovation. It’s about the intelligent integration of many. And that’s where the real momentum lies.