At the Cannes Lions 2024, Havas announced a bold $400 million investment into artificial intelligence, positioning the French communications group for an aggressive evolution toward data-driven marketing. Simultaneously, CEO Yannick Bolloré confirmed that plans are underway to spin off Havas from parent company Vivendi, marking a strategic turning point for the group.
$400M to Embed AI Across Havas
The investment will be deployed over four years, targeting the full spectrum of Havas’ operations — from creative automation to media optimization, customer intelligence, and generative content. The initiative includes internal AI infrastructure, new partnerships, and an expansion of Havas’ AI Centers of Excellence.
“Our future will be supercharged by data, tech, and AI — but powered by humans,” Bolloré said in Cannes, emphasizing the need to combine human creativity with machine intelligence, not replace it.
Spin-Off Strategy: Independence to Accelerate
Vivendi, which owns Havas, is currently working toward spinning off the agency into a separately listed entity. Bolloré stated that autonomy will give Havas the agility and capital structure needed to compete globally, attract tech-forward talent, and pursue acquisitions in high-growth areas like AI, data, and digital content.
This spin-off would mark a significant structural shift in the French media and advertising landscape, granting Havas operational independence while maintaining ties to the Bolloré Group through key shareholdings.
AI as a Growth Engine, Not a Threat
Rather than framing AI as disruptive, Bolloré positioned it as a catalyst for reinvention: “We see AI as a growth accelerator — one that will allow our talent to focus on strategic thinking, emotion, and ideas.”
The announcement reflects a broader trend at Cannes 2024, where major holding groups are racing to redefine their models around generative AI, automation, and intelligent data ecosystems.
With this move, Havas signals it intends not just to adapt, but to lead the transformation of global marketing in the AI era.
