Copyright Adweek
Behind every ad you see is a decision. Billions of decisions are made every second, shaping what people see, when they see it, and why. Each ad is informed by data and shaped by context, yet the logic behind those choices is often invisible, even to those making the decisions. While marketers can measure the outcomes of these choices through higher engagement, better performance, or stronger growth, they are rarely able to see the reasoning behind them. Inside those decisions is a living record of how people actually behave. It is the closest thing we have to seeing human decision-making at scale. Yet for years, that understanding has been locked inside algorithms, hidden from the people it could help the most. That’s beginning to change. New technology advances are allowing us to crack open the black box of AI to reveal nuanced insights on behavioral patterns that marketers can use to execute more successful campaigns. From targeting to understanding For decades, marketing has been about defining audiences; categorizing people into neat segments and personas that make behavior feel predictable. But in reality, people are full of contradictions. AI reveals the unexpected connections and intent signals that deliver better targeting and stronger outcomes for brands. Cognitiv’s AI Personas uses deep learning to create dynamic audience profiles, helping advertisers uncover the deeper, hidden drivers of consumer behavior. This shifts the focus from definition to discovery. By analyzing how real people engage with brands, these personas surface clusters of behavior that even experienced marketers might overlook. It’s less about confirming what you already believe and more about revealing what you have been missing. When brands start exploring these insights, they often uncover surprises because people do not fit neatly into demographic segments or any large group descriptor. Someone who cannot swim books a cruise. A frugal shopper splurges on luxury skincare. It is these contradictions (or nuances) that make people interesting, and it is where the most valuable insights are found. Sometimes, though, the data does confirm what we suspected all along, validating our instincts. In one case, a national retailer saw its AI Personas accurately identify clusters of recent buyers who also happened to be strong brand fans, even though the system was not given any information about the brand itself. That validation built trust in the insights and gave the retailer’s marketers more confidence in the unexpected new audience clusters that followed. What matters most is not whether the data proves or disproves assumptions, but how it expands a marketer’s understanding—connecting the dots between behavior and intent, showing the why behind every action. Discovery at the speed of behavior In a world where audiences move faster than planning cycles, discovery has to happen in real time. Tools like AI Personas provide a living feedback loop that evolves with people, not just around them. They do not replace human intuition; they sharpen and expand it. By showing us how people actually respond, AI Personas bring more transparency and accountability into marketing decisions. And maybe that is the real irony of AI. In the end, it is helping us uncover something deeply human: Why people do what they do. — Jeremy Fain is the CEO and co-founder of Cognitiv, an AI company using deep learning to help brands connect with their customers in more precise, relevant, impactful moments at scale. With more than 20 years of experience across agencies, publishers, and adtech, he previously led North American accounts at Rubicon Project and held leadership roles at CBS Interactive and the IAB.
