Influential and The Story Lab in AI Tech Partnership

In the US, artificial intelligence influencer technology firm Influential has teamed up with The Story Lab, a part of Dentsu Aegis Network. The partners will use IBM Watson AI technology to help brands connect with their audiences through branded content.

Influential's patent-pending app is used by more than 15,000 of the most highly-engaged influencers on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and YouTube, reaching over 5 billion users. With IBM Watson, the firm has also co-created technologies that allow brands and agencies to identify psychographic data on influencers. The Story Lab specializes in audience-led storytelling, driven by data and insights.

Influential will combine its AI technology with The Story Lab's Content Compass suite of proprietary tools, which help users optimize and maximize content through investment, distribution, amplification and measurement. The companies will also identify billions of data points to inform content development and distribution across bespoke paid, owned and earned platforms.

According to the firms, their partnership will provide a way to analyse a brand's social media footprint, lay the groundwork for approaching new consumer segments, provide a pre-campaign snapshot of users' conversations around a brand, and offer data powered media placement recommendations. Shannon Pruitt, CEO of The Story Lab, says the alliance will give her firm's clients new and innovative ways to engage their most valuable consumers. Ryan Detert, CEO of Influential, adds: 'We are excited to work with The Story Lab team to create campaigns that raise the bar, both in terms of engaging content and broad-reaching influencer distribution'.

Web sites: www.influential.co and www.storylab.com .