Article
June 20, 2025
By Emily Frager
This year at Cannes Lions, the AI conversation shifted. I heard it move from fascination with endless applications to a deeper reckoning with what it means for how people connect, tell stories and navigate being human.
One moment that grounded me came from the Behavior, Beauty and Power of Connection session with Malcolm Gladwell, who reminded us it took 20 years for the telephone to be used for personal conversations. The full effect of AI on our world and our work is still unfolding. But here’s what we do know and what I heard reinforced all week long:
1. Change Is Hard. Creativity Is How We Get Through It.
Gladwell said it best: “You can talk about a problem, admire a problem or you can find a solution.” Accepting that change is necessary is one thing. Acting on it is another. What I heard is that creativity is the essential catalyst. It’s how we bridge uncertainty and unlock new thinking. In today’s environment, there’s a premium on it. Not just for campaigns, but for transformation. We’re seeing AI play a growing role in this shift, where the best applications are helping teams reframe how they work and how quickly ideas can be tested, improved and deployed.
2. This Is an Exciting Time for the Courageous
In a world where the rules keep shifting, courage looks like curiosity, experimentation and a willingness to get it wrong before getting it right. As Gladwell put it, “try more crazy s—.” He’s right. Now is not the time for perfection. It’s the time for boldness, play and progress over polish. And when new tools allow you to model outcomes or test messages before launch, you create space to take these bigger swings.
3. The Gen AI Era Favors PR
LLMs (large language models) are trained on PR and editorial content. They’re designed to recognize and value what we create but they can’t replicate our ability to influence the sources, shape the narrative or make emotional connections that change hearts and minds. And this comes at a time when real-world PR activations are also in high demand, offering a tactile, human counterbalance to online brand experiences.
4. How To Gain an Advantage
Across client work, I’ve seen AI be most effective when it mirrors how people actually make decisions. From message testing to rapid-response issue tracking, the value lies in building tools that fit into how teams already work, not forcing them into rigid systems. Proof-of-concept work is showing real results and that momentum is only growing. The investments in the tech and the teams of communicators powering it are smart, strategic and set us up for long-term value.
5. Creativity Is the New Competitive Edge
If Cannes made anything clear to me, it’s this: AI is reshaping how information is collected and shared. But we still shape the sources and we still create new ways for people to connect.
The more creatively we do that, the more essential we become. Let’s keep moving with curiosity, courage and a belief that PR is not just relevant in the GenAI era. It’s essential.
Emily Frager is FleishmanHillard’s Chief Client Officer.
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