Andrea Vattani, is the Co-Founder & Chief Scientist at Spiketrap, a contextualization company powering audience intelligence and media performance for creators, platforms, and brands. What initially attracted you to computer science and AI? It was a combination of fortuitous circumstances, I showed up at the University of Rome to take the Statistics major admission test, and it turned out I was a day late! I was advised to apply for Computer Science instead and move back to the Statistics department a year later. I went to the Computer Science admission test (which was that day!) and passed it… never moved back to Statistics! My interest in AI really started with realizing how computers can help you automate things, and AI is the ultimate automation machinery.

I recently caught up with Andrea Vattani, Co-Founder & Chief Scientist, Spiketrap, to explore the path forward for brands looking to unlock true understanding of their audiences and their communications in the context of the world. Only two months into 2021 and nearing our second year of the pandemic, consumer behavior has changed rapidly and will continue to evolve as we adapt to new ways of life. So, how can brands keep a pulse on their shifting audiences this year and beyond? Andrea Vattani: As people have physically distanced, they've become more digitally connected. Conversations that once took place in-person or on a limited number of channels now sprawl online with increasing velocity.