The CMO Podcast
Episode: Live from CES: Human-Led AI and Brand Creativity with Yannick Bolloré
Date: January 12, 2026
Host: Jim Stengel
Guest: Yannick Bolloré, Chairman and CEO of Havas

Episode Overview

Live from CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Jim Stengel brings Yannick Bolloré, CEO of Havas, to the stage to discuss the agency’s journey embracing artificial intelligence—and how they are ensuring human creativity remains at the heart of their work. Over an hour, Yannick shares how AI is transforming his company, their client offerings, industry disruption, and leadership in an era of rapid technological change. The episode also includes live audience engagement: an AI-generated movie trailer starring a CES attendee, and the unveiling of Havas’s new proprietary AI platform, Eva.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

CES: The Pulse of Tech Innovation

• Observation on CES Evolution (04:57 - 06:06):
  • Yannick reflects on how CES has evolved over the past decade, with “real robots playing ping pong” and rapid progress in sustainable tech.
  • Yannick Bolloré: “Ten years ago, it was about Curve TV and the launch of 5G… This year, I’ve seen robots… It’s so energizing, so inspiring.” (05:00)

Personal Journey with AI

• First Encounter with AI (06:30 - 07:29):

  • Yannick’s introduction to AI began over 15 years ago with programmatic ad targeting, noticing disparate ads for himself and his wife.
  • More recently, tools like Midjourney and ChatGPT marked a turning point: “When I discovered ChatGPT in December, I said, oh my God, this is going to be transformative.” (07:22)

• How AI Has Changed His Leadership (07:41 - 08:36):

  • Initially an assistant, AI has grown into his “thought partner.”
  • Yannick: “As CEO… sometimes you’re alone. Using AI as a thought partner has changed my life. And… it helped me become a better dad.” (07:53)

Next Generation: AI Use Among Youth

• Teaching Smart AI Use (08:47 - 09:24):
  • His teenage daughters use AI for homework, both to shortcut assignments and to learn more deeply.
  • Encourages parents to “teach their kids how to use AI smartly to become a better person, not to replace yourself.” (09:20)

Leadership Approach Amid Transformation

• Averting Old Mistakes in Transformation (14:33 - 16:36):

  • To avoid silos (as with digital’s rise), Havas' entire staff—23,000 people—are being trained and certified in AI.
  • “We needed to create a clear vision… and pivot to become an AI first driven company.” (15:14)
  • Attending Havas’s leadership summit now requires AI proficiency certification.

• On Leading Differently (18:02 - 19:01):

  • “I’m much more into details, I’m much more into products… I spend a lot of time with our data teams, designing tools.” (18:38)
  • The CEO is now a hands-on product and tech collaborator, not just a strategist.

AI as a Differentiator and Industry Disruptor

• Using Agility as an Asset (16:44 - 17:41):

  • Havas’s size allows it to be the “strongest challenger of the industry,” more nimble in a rapidly changing landscape.

• Biggest Industry Disruption in Decades (12:34 - 13:47):

  • Yannick sees AI as “the most profound opportunity to disrupt the industry… In the past 18 months, we’ve seen a spread of almost 10% between the fastest growing and lowest declining players.” (13:30)

• AI and Job Transformation (23:04 - 26:29):

  • Recognizes some jobs will be replaced or changed by AI, but pivots the company with robust retraining: “We believe at Havas we can absorb 2 to 3% growth a year without hiring new people.”

Client Transformation & Value Creation with AI

• AI Driving Concrete Value (20:01 - 22:01):

  • AI reduces production costs by 15–50% for major clients (Reckitt, L’Oreal, Renault).
  • Described big wins: developing a strategic 2035 vision for a major client, emphasizing partnership over supplier models.

• AI Readiness Varies by Client (22:07 - 22:39):

  • Some embrace it with Havas’s lead, while heavily regulated industries lag due to compliance and privacy.

Launching ‘Eva’: Havas’s Proprietary AI Platform

• Segment: Launch of Eva (26:29 - 28:11):

  • On stage, Yannick reveals Eva, a privacy-first, secure, in-house platform built on Havas’s Converged AI OS.
  • “Security, compliance and privacy are built in… This is limitless, supercharged creativity at Havas.” – Eva product video (27:25)

• Vision for Eva (28:14 - 28:56):

  • “Every morning… you open your laptop, you have this portal. It helps you do the best of your day… all the partnerships, all the campaign validation, everything will be on this portal.” (28:22)

Synthetic Research & Partnerships

• Announcing AI Partnerships (29:20 - 31:22):
  • Partnerships with Ekyo (agent company) and Vervet (AI-generated Persona research) to deepen audience insights.
  • Showcases how generative AI personas can provide instant responses from authentic Gen Z and neurodivergent perspectives.

The Enduring Power of Brands in an AI Era

• On Brand Value (31:43 - 34:14):
  • Yannick refutes the claim that AI will make brands obsolete: “Every time there’s a revolution, brands get stronger.” (32:19)
  • Trust will be the defining differentiator in an ambiguous, AI-saturated world.
  • Jim echoes optimism, citing data that “brands have never been stronger… It’s up to us, though, and trust is the key thing.” (34:09)

Company Culture: Humility & Curiosity

• Curiosity and Humility as Core Values (34:56 - 36:56):

  • Yannick on lasting company principles: “Never become arrogant, never take things for granted… Reinvent yourself, even when you’re performing.” (35:10)
  • New client wins always cite “your team and your tools” as reasons for choosing Havas.

• Human + AI: The Winning Equation (36:45 - 36:56):

  • “You want to be seen as an AI company… but fueled by human ingenuity. At the end of the day, it’s really important to find the balance between the two.” (36:50)

Live Experiment: Human-Led Generative Creativity

• AI-Generated Movie Trailer (39:54 - 41:53):
  • Amanda, an audience member, becomes the star of an AI-created Western-style movie trailer—concept to production in just 15 minutes on site.
  • Amanda: “It feels amazing. It’s a blockbuster hit. I hope you all come out to support me!” (41:42)
  • A concrete, playful demonstration of generative AI’s production capabilities, underscoring the fusion of tech and human imagination.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On AI’s Role:
  "AI by itself will not create a campaign that will bring you value. AI driven by the best people, by the best talent will make a difference." – Yannick Bolloré (23:38)

• Company Transformation:
  “After one hour discussion, we agreed we needed to go full on on AI. We even needed to pivot to become an AI first driven company.” – Yannick Bolloré (15:07)

• Brand Trust in the AI Age:
  “In the world where you don’t know what’s true or not, to be able to trust your brand will be even stronger.” – Yannick Bolloré (32:49)

• Team & Technology:
  “In 100% of the answers, it’s always the same things. Your team and your tools. So you cannot oppose one with the other.” – Yannick Bolloré (36:31)

• On Curiosity and Culture:
  “Our culture is really around curiosity. It’s really about never become arrogant, never take things for granted.” – Yannick Bolloré (35:03)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:46 – Inspiration for AI leadership
• 04:57 – Yannick’s observations on CES evolution
• 06:30 – Yannick’s introduction to AI
• 07:41 – Changing leadership/workflow with AI
• 14:33 – Shifting Havas through AI, workforce training
• 18:02 – Yannick on leading differently in the AI era
• 20:01 – AI reducing costs, client case studies
• 26:29 – Official launch of Eva AI platform
• 29:20 – Announcing new AI partnerships
• 31:43 – Is this the end of brands? Trust & strength
• 34:56 – On humility and curiosity in leadership
• 39:54 – The AI-generated movie trailer experiment

Conclusion

This episode delivers a front-line account of how a 200-year-old communications group is leveraging AI to transform not just productivity, but the creative heart of advertising. Yannick Bolloré illustrates that the real competitive edge lies in organizations that blend high-performing tech with highly engaged people—a message brought to life on stage through storytelling, concrete examples, and a dash of live entertainment. The future, as portrayed here, is not AI or human, but deeply human-led, AI-empowered brands.

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• Episode sponsored by Deloitte.