Converge vs Converto

Cannes: AI Transformation, Backstage Focus on Costs

At the 2026 Cannes Lions festival, public presentations promote AI-driven transformation, efficiency and orchestration, but informal off‑stage conversations among marketers and agency leaders are centering on the real cost of making AI work. Attendees described rising token and infrastructure expenses, the reality that AI often augments rather than replaces engineers, and the shift from theoretical ROI to line‑item procurement conversations. Speakers and sources at Cannes — including ad tech and agency executives, brand CMOs and analysts — said clients now expect transparency about where AI is used but are less informed or willing to discuss ongoing operating costs. The piece frames this backstage debate as a preview of next year’s on‑stage agenda as use cases move from experiment to sustained production and procurement decisions become decisive.

• The article is a Digiday dispatch from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity covering industry conversations about AI (publication date: 2026-06-23).
• Ian Maxwell, CEO of Converge Digital, said rising token costs can make AI inference "vastly more costly than simply having engineers."
• Jess Dervyn, an analyst in Gartner’s marketing practice, said clients expect transparency about where agencies use AI but agencies are less transparent about AI operating costs.