Cannes Lions withdraws Grand Prix after discovery of AI-faked case film; introduces stricter rules for AI disclosure
This controversy has accelerated Cannes Lions’ implementation of enhanced guidelines and detection mechanisms to uphold integrity in the age of generative AI.
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The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has taken the step of withdrawing a Grand Prix award after discovering that the winning entry misrepresented campaign results using AI-generated and manipulated content.
The Creative Data Lions Grand Prix, initially awarded to Brazilian agency DM9 for its campaign ‘Efficient Way to Pay’ for Consul, has been officially rescinded following an internal investigation. The Festival, in consultation with DM9 and independent auditors, determined that the campaign’s case film presented falsified information, simulating real-world outcomes through synthetic visuals and AI-based storytelling.
The jury was unknowingly evaluating content that breached the Festival’s strict entry rules on factual representation, leading to a decision Cannes Lions described as “the only appropriate course of action” to mutually withdraw the entry and revoke all associated prizes.
In an additional move, DM9 has voluntarily withdrawn two more entries from this year’s competition, ‘Plastic Blood’ for OKA Biotech and ‘Gold = Death’ for Urihi Yanomami.
New rules...
This controversy has accelerated Cannes Lions’ implementation of enhanced guidelines and detection mechanisms to uphold integrity in the age of generative AI.
The Festival announced a comprehensive set of measures designed to ensure creative excellence is matched by ethical transparency. These include enhanced code of conduct, mandatory AI disclosure, content detection tools, AI ethics review panel, and formal enforcement procedures.
Under the new rules, all participating organisations must now formally commit to ethical standards as part of the submission process. Entrants will be required to declare the use of generative AI. Non-disclosure will be grounds for disqualification or withdrawal. Additionally, new technologies will be deployed to identify synthetic or manipulated content in entry materials and a dedicated committee of experts will be formed to review questionable submissions through the lens of AI, ethics and content integrity.
