The Era of Relationship Capital: What PR in Cannes 2026 Revealed About the Future of Communication

Artificial intelligence dominated discussions across Cannes Lions 2026, but within the PR in Cannes programme organised by ICCO and PRAM Consulting, another theme consistently emerged as the defining message of the day: Relationship Capital.

CANNES – Held under the theme ‘Relationship Capital: PR’s Power in the Age of AI’, The PR in Cannes 2026 programme brought together communications leaders, researchers, agency executives and academics to explore how public relations is evolving in an increasingly AI-driven environment. Rather than treating AI as a disruptive force replacing communicators, speakers repeatedly argued that it is increasing the strategic value of trust, credibility and long-term stakeholder relationships.

Setting the Tone: Relationship Capital as a Business Asset

The opening ICCO Roundtable set the tone for the day. Moderated by Arun Sudhaman, Non-Executive Chair of ICCO, the panel brought together Massimo Moriconi, Global President of ICCO; Julia Omini, Senior Insights Consultant at YouGov; Candace Steele Flippin, Vice President of Thought Leadership & Professional Development at Page Society; and Vineet Handa, CEO of Kaizzen.

Their discussion challenged the traditional focus on reputation and introduced Relationship Capital as a broader business concept measuring the strength of relationships with employees, customers, partners, communities and institutions.

Massimo Moriconi argued that organisations with stronger stakeholder relationships recover faster from crises, innovate more effectively and create more resilient businesses. He also underscored that the most successful organizations of the coming decade will not simply manage relationships as a communications function. They will treat relationship capital as a strategic asset, a measurable source of enterprise value, and a core leadership responsibility. Julia Omini presented research highlighting that trust remains one of the most important attributes consumers expect from organisations, while becoming increasingly difficult to earn in an environment of unlimited information and choice. Candace Steele Flippin added that communications leaders are moving beyond measuring reputation alone towards evaluating the quality of stakeholder relationships and even considering how AI systems represent organisations.

Vineet shared an entrepreneurial perspective from Asia-Pacific, highlighting how business leaders are navigating industry disruption driven by geopolitical tensions, algorithmic fragmentation, and mass adoption of AI. He emphasized that, amid these forces of change, relationship capital is emerging as the ultimate business asset—enabling organizations to build trust, foster collaboration, and create lasting competitive advantage in an increasingly complex and fragmented marketplace.

AI, Media Intelligence and the New Information Ecosystem

Sessions led by FIBEP, represented by Magdalena Horánska, demonstrated that communicators must now understand not only media coverage but also how large language models discover and reproduce information. Speakers highlighted that AI-generated answers are largely built upon trusted third-party sources including quality journalism, specialist publications and expert commentary.

The following Worldcom Public Relations Group and Semrush session, presented by Patrik Schober, built on these themes by examining how AI-powered search is reshaping trust. Schober argued that communicators should begin considering large language models as a separate stakeholder group because they rely on various media sources for citations, requiring organisations to adapt their communication strategies accordingly. The session also highlighted that AI platforms continue to rely heavily on trusted local media, regional expertise and credible third-party sources.

Why Data Still Needs Storytelling

The programme’s first panel discussion, hosted by PVBLIC Foundation in partnership with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), broadened the conversation beyond corporate communications. While centred on Earth observation and satellite technologies, the session returned to a familiar communications challenge: data alone rarely changes behaviour. Astronaut Dr Sian Proctor and Sergio Fernandez de Córdova both emphasised that storytelling remains essential for translating complex information into narratives that inspire understanding and action.

Human Creativity in the Age of AI

The relationship between technology and creativity continued during the University of South Carolina session, which featured Dean Tom Reichert alongside industry leaders exploring AI, sport and fan engagement. Speakers argued that while AI is transforming analysis, production and audience insights, it cannot replace curiosity, empathy or authentic storytelling.

How Agencies Are Adapting

Another discussion, featuring Vineet Handa of Kaizzen Communications and Michael Frohoff of Kruger Media, focused on how communications consultancies are adapting to a rapidly changing AI landscape. While technology is transforming workflows and client expectations, both speakers agreed that agencies will increasingly differentiate themselves through strategic counsel, specialist expertise and the ability to build trusted relationships.

The Future Role of Communications Consultancies

The closing panel, sponsored by M&A Advisory and represented by David Blois, turned attention to the future of communications consultancies. Moderated by Tina McCorkindale, President and CEO of the Institute for Public Relations, participants agreed that AI will automate many operational tasks while increasing demand for strategic judgement, specialist expertise and trusted advisory services.

Key Takeaways from PR in Cannes 2026

Taken together, the sessions formed a remarkably coherent narrative. The ICCO Roundtable introduced Relationship Capital as a strategic and measurable business asset. FIBEP explored the implications of AI-driven information discovery. Worldcom highlighted the importance of trusted information ecosystems and LLMs as emerging stakeholders. PVBLIC Foundation and UNOOSA demonstrated that data requires compelling narratives, while the University of South Carolina reinforced the enduring importance of creativity. The Kaizzen and Kruger Media discussion explored how agencies must adapt to AI-driven change, while the closing M&A Advisory panel focused on the future strategic role of communications consultancies.

Rather than diminishing the importance of public relations, PR in Cannes 2026 suggested that artificial intelligence is redefining where communications create value. As information becomes increasingly mediated by AI, organisations will compete less on the volume of content they produce and more on the quality of the relationships, trust and credibility they have built over time.

That is the essence of Relationship Capital and the defining message to emerge from PR in Cannes 2026.