Minds that awaken Minds: how AI is impacting marketing and advertising

Artificial intelligence guided the conversation at the 11th edition of the international meeting organized by ‘Anuncios’

Technology has emerged as a radical transformative force in the marketing, advertising, and communications ecosystem. This was the message conveyed by Dan Hagen (Havas), Laurent Solly (Meta), and Aleix Valls (WeArtificial), the three speakers at the 11th edition of «Minds that Awaken Minds,» an event organized by Anuncios magazine, held on December 3rd at the Telefónica Foundation Space in Madrid.

The event coincided with the magazine’s 45th anniversary and was introduced by Esther Valdivia, president and CEO of Publicaciones Profesionales.

Infrastructure, Economic Power, and Personalized Marketing

Laurent Solly, Meta’s Vice President for Europe, focused part of his presentation on the «systemic revolution of the economy and society» that this technology represents. He noted that AI has existed since the mid-20th century, citing British physicist and mathematician Alan Turing as the first to explore the human-machine relationship, but that it has undergone exponential growth in the last fifteen years.

«There is a lot of investment in this technology that will change the way human brains and machines interact,» which is driving the balance of economic power between China, the United States, and Europe, he pointed out, because its development requires a massive infrastructure.

«AI is in everything we do and is fundamental to Meta’s strategy,» he affirmed. He focused on the advertising and marketing sector to explain how this technology is helping the company «generate content that truly interests the user, and that’s important for the advertising business: it increases conversion and performance. Before, Google searches were paramount; now, it’s the product that needs to be presented to people. Emerging and personalizing are key,» he added.

He then cited some developments the company has made in this direction, such as Advantage+, the suite of tools «that automates everything.» In the area of ​​media buying, this is already possible, he noted, and in the creative field, «it allows us to dedicate less time to certain tasks. This is a great opportunity for the sector: technology to improve the industry and the purpose of our businesses. The time is now,» he concluded.

From Execution to Strategic Judgment

Dan Hagen, Chief Data & Technology Officer at Havas, addressed a topic that resonated deeply with the audience: how artificial intelligence is redefining the roles of agencies, clients, and industry professionals themselves. He acknowledged that we are experiencing a moment comparable to the dot-com bubble, but accelerated by a technology “too useful to disappear.” In his view, the question should no longer be whether AI will change the industry, but to what extent.

During his presentation, he illustrated with concrete examples the impact that artificial intelligence is having on daily operations, from natural conversations with audiences generated on Converged.AI, the platform that underpins his group’s strategy, to creative projects accelerated by this technology, from a Woolite commercial to product catalog optimizations that are already generating sales increases of up to 60% in some categories. But beyond technology, Hagen insisted that the real challenge is human, as the sector must shift from a delivery-centric approach to one based on judgment, selection, and cultural awareness.

According to the executive, professional profiles will evolve toward more hybrid and strategic roles, where the ability to govern systems and filter large volumes of AI-generated proposals will be fundamental. This transformation also requires rethinking the client-agency relationship, moving toward collaborative models, shared infrastructure, and compensation based on results rather than hours worked.

Hagen dedicated the final moments of his presentation to detailing the “epic journey” that Havas has undertaken to adapt to this future. The company has launched AI for All, a global initiative that offers the holding company’s 23,000 employees safe spaces to work with different models, as well as a universal training program. With this roadmap, the company aims to enable everyone to evolve with this technology and optimize their workflows. Looking ahead to 2026, the French multinational will focus on scaling up its best internal developments, industrializing those with the greatest impact, and ensuring that no professional is left behind in this new era.

A Structural Transformation of the System

Aleix Valls, CEO of WeArtificial, was tasked with closing the series of presentations, and he did so by issuing several warnings. The first, at the beginning of his talk, was to acknowledge that half an hour (his estimated speaking time) was insufficient to discuss artificial intelligence. Aside from this lighthearted aside, the key takeaway from the day’s final presentation was that AI is ushering in a new paradigm that will redefine attention, work, and the structure of organizations.

Another warning he issued concerned the brevity of his presentation, and he didn’t disappoint. In a fast-paced, engaging, and ironic manner, with touches of humor, Valls offered a clear overview of the current state of artificial intelligence and its imminent impact on the economy and the communications industry. He recalled that the concept originated as a marketing campaign in the 1950s, but today it has become the first technology capable of adding «intellectual capacity to anything at zero marginal cost,» a change he described as «profoundly transformational» for businesses and societies.

The executive explained that current large-scale models function thanks to three factors: parameters, data, and computation. He warned that the industry is beginning to face a shortage of human data, which is driving the use of synthetic data, albeit with limitations. He also emphasized the critical role of data centers and energy, anticipating a growing debate about the role of nuclear power in the future of the sector.

He showed examples of models capable of generating physically consistent images and videos, and pointed out that these emerging capabilities open the door to potential superintelligence. If that happens, he stated, the impact would be «profoundly different» because the technology could come to understand the world better than humans.

For Valls, however, the most disruptive change will not be creative, but structural: AI will transform the service model and redefine the roles of agencies, brands, and audience owners. He also anticipated a new operating system based on intelligent agents and natural interfaces, where interaction will disappear in favor of personalized, real-time responses.

The CEO of WeArtificial concluded with a message for companies: the urgency of accelerating its adoption. For AI to have a real impact, 70% of the organization should use it daily. “We are facing a general-purpose technology that will forever change how we work and how we grow,” he stated.

Source: www.marketingnews.es