Cannes Panel Asks if Creative Directors Will Eventually Be Replaced by Robots

Will a robot one day win a Lion? That was the central question of PHD Worldwide's panel. CANNES, France--Many workers around the world have legitimate concerns about being replaced by automation. And, at least according to a show of hands, a large majority of attendees at a Cannes panel called "Will a Robot Win a Lion?" don't think advertising creative directors are exempt. But the panel of marketing and tech professionals organized by Omnicom's PHD Worldwide wasn't so sure. "We think our own creativity is really special or mystical, but there are lots of mechanical aspects to it," said Wired magazine co-founder Kevin Kelly.