Cannes Lions leaders on AI, consumers and the next fan era

DIRECT ANSWER 40-60 words Variety's latest Strictly Business from Cannes Lions episode features marketing chiefs from NBCUniversal, IBM, State Farm, Autodesk, and Coinbase discussing AI workflows, consumer trends, and cultural outreach. Recorded June 22–25 at Cannes, their conversations highlight a widening AI skills gap, faster creative production, and fan-first strategies like BravoCon and expanded Olympic streaming coverage.

Key Takeaways

• Autodesk CMO Dara Treseder cited an AI comfort gap: 82% of people use AI in daily life, but only one-third feel comfortable using it at work.
• Coinbase CMO Cat Ferdon said the exchange has been agentic-forward for more than a year, using AI to optimize marketing without replacing human creativity.
• IBM's Jonathan Adashek reported cutting creative grunt work from 80% to about 40% of staff time while saving billions through AI and automation.
• State Farm's Kristyn Cooke pointed to NBCUniversal's BravoCon as a model for reaching engaged next-generation consumers through shared passion points.
• NBCUniversal's Mark Marshall previewed roughly 8,000 hours of LA 2028 Summer Olympics programming, up from 186 hours at Atlanta 1996.

What happened on Strictly Business from Cannes Lions?

On the latest episode of Variety's Strictly Business podcast, leaders from NBCUniversal, IBM, State Farm, Autodesk, and Coinbase compared notes on marketing, technology, and consumer trends with Todd Spangler, Variety's business editor. The conversations were recorded June 22–25 in the Canva Creative Cabana at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

The Cannes edition arrives as brands debate how AI, streaming, and live cultural events reshape audience reach. For more TV and streaming business coverage, see our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.

What did marketing leaders say about AI adoption?

Dara Treseder, CMO of Autodesk, and Cat Ferdon, CMO of Coinbase, discussed how they harness AI while reaching audiences in fast-moving digital markets. Treseder cited research showing 82% of people are comfortable using AI in general life, but only a third feel comfortable using it in their field. Jobs listing AI as a prerequisite have more than doubled, creating a mismatch between job seekers and available roles.

Autodesk announced a $350 million commitment to prepare the next generation for AI-era jobs across architecture, engineering, construction, product design, manufacturing, and media and entertainment. Ferdon noted AI has been baked into Coinbase from the start. The exchange has been super agentic-forward, with CEO Brian Armstrong publicly championing the approach for more than a year. Ferdon said AI helps teams reach creative outcomes faster but is not a replacement for human creativity.

Jonathan Adashek, IBM's senior VP of marketing and communications, said IBM embraced AI in its own workflows in a serious way. Creatives once spent 80% of their time on derivative assets; IBM has cut that share to about 40%. Adashek pointed to a Sphere in Las Vegas project using AI for design that finished in two days instead of an expected 15–16. IBM has removed $4.5 billion from annual spend over three years through AI and automation, with another $1 billion targeted this year.

How are NBCUniversal and State Farm reaching younger consumers?

Mark Marshall, chairman of advertising partnerships at NBCUniversal, and Kristyn Cooke, chief agency sales marketing officer at State Farm, discussed their long-running partnership. Cooke explained why NBCU's BravoCon fan gathering matters for reaching the next generation.

It's about connecting around shared interests and passion points, Cooke said—the audience is the story and they are super engaged. State Farm evolved from branded spaces at BravoCon to memorable experiences that let fans interact in the moment. Cooke called BravoCon a powerful platform that has been really good for the brand overall.

Why is NBCUniversal planning 8,000 hours of LA 2028 Olympics coverage?

With the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles two years away, Marshall outlined NBCUniversal's plan to elevate coverage beyond Paris 2024. NBC aired 186 hours at Atlanta 1996; for LA 2028, Marshall said NBCU will be close to 8,000 hours.

Fans can curate their own Olympic experience on Peacock or hear Mike Tirico recap the day on broadcast. Marshall said fans love the sports but really love the storytelling of how athletes got there—and NBC is infusing that strategy across NBA, MLB, and NFL coverage. Read the full conversations on Variety.