Episode 12: Marketing Smarter with AI: Simulated Audiences for Manufacturing

What if manufacturers could predict how customers will respond to a marketing campaign before spending a single advertising dollar?

In this episode of the Smart Factory Podcast, Matt Holjes talks with Akaash Ramakrishnan, co-founder of AdSkate, about how artificial intelligence is transforming marketing through simulated audiences. Developed from research at Carnegie Mellon University, AdSkate’s AI platform helps organizations evaluate advertising, messaging, creative content, and customer resonance before campaigns go live.

The conversation explores how AI-generated audience personas work, why manufacturers can think of them as a digital twin for marketing, and how they can reduce risk while improving campaign performance. Akaash also discusses the evolving role of traditional market research, the importance of human judgment alongside AI, and why understanding customer messaging may become one of the biggest competitive advantages for manufacturers.

Whether you’re responsible for marketing, sales, or business development, this episode offers practical insights into how AI is helping manufacturers make smarter decisions before launching their next campaign.