AI Wont Kill Advertising, It Wont Save It Either

Tor Myhren's -Vice President of Marketing Communications at Apple- keynote at hashtag#CannesLions this year struck a chord across the industry, not necessarily because it was about hashtag#AI, but because it was about us.

That line captures the moment we’re in. A time of transformation, yes, but also a time to pause and ask what truly makes our work meaningful.

AI is remarkable in its capabilities, allowing us to work faster and smarter, but as Tor reminded us, it still operates through logic. And logic doesn’t always translate to human connection. 

The AirPods campaign he spoke about, inspired by his father’s hearing loss, worked not because of tech, but because it was unexpected and personal. Real resonance comes from a more intuitive type of insight that can only come from real lived experience. 

I see this every day – all the content, ads, and campaigns that move people come from moments of honesty, texture, and humanness, not perfection. 

Emotion > optimization.

Resonance > reach.

Instinct > automation.

If we lose the human layer, we lose the part that makes people care.

AI Wont Kill Advertising, It Wont Save It Either