Cannes Lions and DM9 have agreed to withdraw Creative Data Lions Grand Prix winner, Efficient Way to Pay for Consul, has been withdrawn after it was discovered discovery that AI-generated and manipulated content was used within the case film to simulate real world events and campaign outcomes. The jury was therefore given inaccurate information while assessing the work.

“This breaches the Cannes Lions entry rules on factual representation, and undermines the trust placed in the work by our juries and the wider community. Cannes Lions exists to celebrate creativity that is real, representative, and responsible,” Cannes Lions said in its statement.

“After a thorough investigation and review, conducted in consultation with the relevant parties, and Cannes Lions’ independent auditors, we concluded that the only appropriate course of action was to mutually withdraw the entry from the Festival, and therefore withdraw the Grand Prix and associated prizes.’

DM9 has also chosen to withdraw the entries, Plastic Blood, for OKA Biotech, and Gold = Death for Urihi Yanomami, denouncing the lethal effects of illegal mining on the Yanomami people. All parties acknowledge that the level of legitimacy does not meet the necessary standard. All prizes will be withdrawn as a result.

Cannes Lions has announced that it will introduce a series of enhanced measures to ensure that the awards remain robust in the era of synthetic content, media, and generative AI. These include:

Commitment An enhanced Code of Conduct that must be signed by all participating organisations.

Transparency Mandatory AI disclosure as part of the entry process, with non-disclosure constituting grounds for disqualification or withdrawal.

Detection Content detection tools may be used to help identify manipulated case films and materials.

Adjudication A dedicated review committee comprised of experts in AI, ethics, and content integrity.

The measures will be supported by formal enforcement procedures, including potential disqualification, public disclosure, or award withdrawal where necessary.