CMOs At Cannes Reveal AI’s Marketing Infancy

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Lede: At a Cannes Lions breakfast panel, leading CMOs—including Jessica Apotheker (BCG), leaders from Mercedes‑Benz USA, e.l.f. Beauty, Citi, Salesforce, and Beyoncé collaborator will.i.am—stressed that AI in marketing is still in its “infancy,” akin to early video games, and that building creativity, trust, and measurable ROI are today’s priorities.

“AI is in its infancy… It ain’t even Halo yet,” said will.i.am, reflecting on the platform’s nascent creative capacity. His comment set the tone: marketers are just beginning to explore AI’s potential, not revel in its current capabilities.

BCG CMO Jessica Apotheker shared new survey data: 71% of CMOs plan to invest US $10 million+ annually in AI—up from 57% the prior year—but admitted widespread ROI is yet unproven. She emphasized balancing creativity with analytical rigor: “We’ll need much more teams in the science space… and more creative marketers… so they can really add value to AI.”

Mercedes‑Benz USA’s CMO highlighted seamless customer experience via app integration, stating that modern consumers expect technology to blend into daily life. e.l.f. Beauty demonstrated agility by entering platforms like Roblox and Twitch, illustrating “just plunge in” experimentation to build authentic engagement.

Citi’s CMO cautioned that AI advancement must not compromise trust, especially in financial services—marketing must “keep reinforcing that trust” as automation expands. Salesforce’s CMO shared that AI-led lead follow-up boosted response times by ~40%, enhancing funnel efficiency.

AI in marketing is entering a formative era—brands must blend creative daring, scientific discipline, and ethical guardrails to truly harness its power. As will.i.am and senior CMOs underscored at Cannes, imagination paired with trust-building will define the next wave.