AI WON'T SAVE ADVERTISING, DIGITAS CEO WARNS

Lanzi, who has appeared on industry panels multiple times, offered a realistic assessment of AI's role in advertising. Rather than viewing AI as a transformative solution, she emphasized the need to understand what advertising actually does for brands and how money flows through ad-supported systems. The advertising industry has increasingly promoted AI as a tool to improve targeting, personalization, and campaign performance. However, Lanzi's position suggests that technological advances cannot address deeper structural issues within the sector. Her remarks reflect broader skepticism about whether AI can solve chronic challenges in digital advertising, including ad fraud, privacy concerns, and measurement difficulties. The comments come as major advertisers and agencies continue investing heavily in AI capabilities while grappling with questions about ROI and effectiveness in a rapidly changing landscape.