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Havas unveils Ava, its new human-led AI platform
LAS VEGAS: Havas made a confident play at CES 2026, lifting the curtain on Ava, a global large language model portal designed to put artificial intelligence firmly in human hands.
Unveiled on the C Space stage by Havas chairman and CEO Yannick Bolloré alongside brand veteran Jim Stengel, Ava is Havas’ latest step in blending cutting-edge technology with creative instinct. The message was clear. AI should scale imagination, not sideline it.
Set to roll out from spring, Ava will offer Havas teams and, eventually, clients secure, centralised access to the world’s most advanced AI models, including GPT-5, Claude Opus 4.5 and Gemini 3. Rather than betting on a single brain, Ava lets users choose the right AI partner for the job, from strategy and insight to ideation and execution.
The name is symbolic. Ava draws from the heart of the Havas Village model, reflecting how the group connects diverse talent under one roof. In practice, it becomes a single gateway for insights, agents and proprietary intelligence, helping teams move faster from brief to breakthrough while staying safe, compliant and on brand.
Ava builds on the momentum of Converged.AI, Havas’ group-wide AI strategy launched in 2024. Backed by close to one billion euros in investment, including a further 400 million committed through 2027, the programme is designed to keep data flexible, decisions smarter and client solutions scalable.
Speaking at CES, Bolloré struck a balanced note on the future of advertising. Generative AI, he said, is not just a tech upgrade but a cultural shift. One that works best when guided by human judgement, empathy and creativity. AI literacy sits high on the agenda, with Havas committed to training and certifying every employee to use these tools responsibly.
“Technology amplifies human creativity, it doesn’t replace it,” Bolloré said. “Ava brings leading AI together in one secure portal, helping our teams and clients innovate with confidence.”
Beyond the announcement, Havas made its presence felt across Ces with an expanded base at Aria and a dedicated space within the storyteller environment. It was the only agency represented in this way, underlining its ambition to shape conversations where creativity, media and technology meet.
The group also showcased AI in action. Highlights included its partnership with Akkio to boost agentic capabilities, the Vermeer platform for brand-safe creative output at scale, and investment in Vurvey, an AI-powered research tool blending real and synthetic data within regulatory guardrails.
For those not in Las Vegas, Havas is sharing select insights and executive perspectives via its Superstream platform, offering a curated take on CES without the crowds or the noise.
At CES 2026, the takeaway was refreshingly human. In a world racing towards automation, Havas is betting that the smartest future is one where people stay firmly in the loop.
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Raghu Rai passes away at 83, leaves behind iconic legacy
Padma Shri-winning photographer documented history across 5 decades.
MUMBAI: The lens may have stilled, but the stories it captured will never fade. Raghu Rai, one of India’s most celebrated photojournalists, passed away on April 26, 2026, at the age of 83. He breathed his last at a private hospital in New Delhi after battling cancer and age-related health issues.
His son, Nitin Rai, revealed that Rai had been diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago, which later spread to the stomach and, more recently, the brain. Despite multiple rounds of treatment, his health had declined in recent months.
Born in 1942 in Jhang, Punjab (now in Pakistan), Rai entered photography in his early twenties, inspired by his elder brother, photographer S. Paul. Beginning his career in the mid-1960s, he went on to build a body of work that spanned more than five decades, contributing to global publications such as Time, Life, GEO, Le Figaro, The New York Times, Vogue, GQ and Marie Claire.
His global recognition took a decisive leap in 1977 when legendary French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson nominated him to join Magnum Photos, placing him among the world’s most respected visual storytellers.
Rai’s lens chronicled both power and poignancy. He photographed towering figures such as Indira Gandhi, Dalai Lama, Bal Thackeray, Satyajit Ray and Mother Teresa, while also documenting defining moments like the Bhopal gas tragedy later captured in his book Exposure: A Corporate Crime.
Over the years, he published more than 18 books, building an archive that blended journalism with artistry. His contributions were recognised early when he was awarded the Padma Shri in 1972 for his coverage of the Bangladesh War and refugee crisis. In 1992, he was named “Photographer of the Year” in the United States for his work in National Geographic, and in 2009, he was honoured with the Officier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.
Rai is survived by his wife Gurmeet, son Nitin, and daughters Lagan, Avani and Purvai. His last rites will be held at Lodhi Cremation Ground in New Delhi at 4 pm on Sunday.
With his passing, Indian photojournalism loses not just a pioneer, but a patient observer of history, one frame at a time.
