Babaeko challenges agencies to focus on creative mastery, not AI access

As conversations around artificial intelligence continue to dominate the global advertising industry, X3M Ideas CEO, Steve Babaeko, has urged agencies to shift their focus away from technology itself and toward the human skills that truly create competitive advantage.
Speaking at the inaugural IAA Slam during the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Babaeko delivered a thought-provoking perspective on AI’s impact on the creative industry, arguing that the widespread ava