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Cannes Lions: The End of Billable Hours? How AI Is Rewriting the Agency Business | Dr. Ali Alkhafaji, Apply Digital
AI is no longer just changing how agencies work. It is starting to rewrite the economics of the entire services business.
Recorded live at Cannes Lions 2026, Dr. Ali Alkhafaji, CEO of Apply Digital, joins The Business of Marketing to explain what an AI-first services company actually looks like once you move beyond the hype and into delivery, pricing, talent and client outcomes.
Ali argues that the biggest opportunity does not come from layering AI onto existing workflows and chasing 20–30% efficiency gains. It comes from reimagining how work gets done entirely, creating the potential for…
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