The RAISE Summit 2026 drew 9,000 attendees to the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris this week, making it the largest AI industry gathering in Europe. Mark Cuban, investor and "Shark Tank" host, used the stage to deliver a blunt message on AI adoption, marketing, and the role humans still need to play - and his off-stage comments were even more direct.
Cuban Blames Impatience for Failed AI Adoption
Cuban told DesignRush that companies fail with AI because they expect immediate returns. "They expect an immediate return, and they think that it'll be so simple to do that anybody can do it," he said. "And I think that's where they're making a mistake. It is not something that just anybody can do." Learning AI takes time, and the process is evolutionary, not instant.
AI Tools Fuel a Startup Boom, But Limits Remain
During a keynote with Lovable CEO Anton Osika, Cuban said the proliferation of AI tools is accelerating innovation. He told Forbes that time and imagination are now the real constraints for founders. "Your biggest limitation is your time and your imagination," he said. "The number of startups is accelerating dramatically."
AI in Marketing: Creatives Have a Right to Be Upset
Cuban addressed AI-generated ad campaigns, noting that brands often fail to check the output. "They're not checking it," he said. Still, he believes brands should use AI.
He also said creatives are justified in their concerns. "I understand why creatives are afraid of it," Cuban said. "I understand why they're upset, because it's not trained on their work without their permission, and they should be upset." He added that AI can still help creative people, making them more efficient and productive, a topic covered in training on AI for Creatives.
What Humans Still Do Better Than AI
Cuban's answer to what's left for humans centers on context and consequences. "AIs don't know the consequences of their actions," he said. "You need humans who can digest all that information, understand the context, and make real-time decisions."
Why this matters for creatives
Cuban's comments signal that AI adoption in creative fields is not about replacement but about judgment. The tools can generate content, but they cannot understand the impact of that content on a brand or audience. Creatives who learn to use AI as a productivity tool - while insisting on proper attribution and oversight - will be the ones defining the next phase of marketing and design. The summit's move to a larger venue next year suggests these conversations are only gaining momentum.
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