Cannes Lions 2025 Recap: What Eyeota Learned About the Future of Data, Media, and AI

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has always been a barometer for where media, marketing, and technology are headed. But this year felt different. Amid the panels and parties, two powerful themes emerged: AI is accelerating faster than the strategies meant to guide it, and the media ecosystem is being reshaped by forces well beyond the Croisette.

Team members of Eyeota, a Dun & Bradstreet company, spent the week in meetings, panels, and conversations across Cannes. What they heard confirmed some of the industry’s biggest undercurrents and offered a few surprising signals about where we’re headed next.

Here’s a look at some of the biggest takeaways.

Everyone’s talking about AI. Did Cannes offer any clarity?

It’s clear that AI isn’t coming. It’s already here, and its presence was felt in nearly every conversation. But what’s striking is how far ahead the technology has leapt compared to the strategies being used to harness it.

As Nate Carter, VP of Digital Sales at Eyeota and Dun & Bradstreet, put it, “The tools are more advanced than the strategies being developed to use them.” Businesses are scrambling to figure out how to operationalize AI in ways that are both practical and ethical. That gap between capability and vision is a major opportunity, but it’s also a major risk if it’s not addressed quickly.

How are publishers adapting to these shifts?

For publishers, the story is one of urgency and reinvention. With traffic continuing to decline—publishers are seeking new models for sustainability. Some are expanding into events. Others are leaning heavily into influencer and social partnerships. And some are entering into deals with AI companies to ensure compensation for the use of their content in generative AI tools.

Underlying all of this is a shift in traffic sources and user behavior. AI chatbots are increasingly becoming the first stop for answers, rather than publisher sites — prompting publishers to rethink how they attract and retain audiences in a rapidly changing landscape.

What implications does this have for marketers?

Marketers need to prepare for a reality where maximum scale is no longer the goal—and may not even be possible. The future is about quality: quality audiences, quality data, quality outcomes. That means greater emphasis on context, identity resolution, and trusted sources.

CTV and DOOH, for example, are gaining ground as durable, high-quality channels that can offer strong targeting and growing reach. Eyeota’s recent integrations in these environments reflect that shift, and we’re already seeing partners pivot their budgets accordingly.

As Jessica Saunders, VP of Global Partner Success & Operations at Eyeota, a Dun & Bradstreet company, observed, “The continued decline in publisher traffic will see the need for an industry shift away from the ‘maximum scale’ approach, and towards high quality and meaningful data and traffic.”

Was there any discussion about how search and discoverability are evolving?

Absolutely. One of the most forward-looking conversations centered on the decline of traditional SEO and the rise of what some are calling “AIO”—AI Optimization. As generative AI becomes a primary interface for discovery, marketers will need to rethink how content gets surfaced in those responses.

This introduces a massive opportunity for both agencies and technology partners. Those who understand how large language models retrieve and rank information will have a major advantage in shaping brand visibility. It’s a new frontier that blends data science, content strategy, and algorithmic fluency.

Any big-picture lessons about the state of the industry?

Cannes was a reminder that human connection still matters. While AI and automation were top of mind, the real magic of the festival came from face-to-face conversations, across cultures, companies, and cocktail hours.

It was also a chance to reflect on inclusivity and representation. One standout moment was the panel with Susie Wolff from F1 Academy at the FQ Lounge. As Jessica noted, it was inspiring to see how women—drivers, engineers, executives, and advertisers—are reshaping a historically male-dominated sport. That same spirit of transformation is coming to media, too.

Oh—and yes, Ludacris showed up at Freewheel’s event. Because no Cannes recap is complete without at least one name drop.

Missed us in Cannes? We’re just getting started. See where Eyeota will be next: eyeota.com/events