The role of machine learning in next-generation marketing technologies

Photo courtesy of Sumit Ranjan

Opinions expressed by Digital Journal contributors are their own.

In 2016, the late Stephen Hawking predicted, “Success in creating AI could be the biggest event in the history of our civilization.” Eight years later, his predictions have come to life as advanced artificial intelligence models become mainstream across industries. From education to medicine to customer support, very few sectors are not impacted by this emerging technology. The marketing industry, in particular, has undergone a massive transformation in recent years, with over 80% of industry experts integrating some form of AI technology into their online marketing activities. 

Sumit Ranjan, machine learning engineer and software architect, expects the growth to increase in the coming years. Ranjan, who started his professional career at PayPal, has witnessed the AI revolution firsthand and has played a significant role in its development. As a lead technical architect at PayPal, Ranjan oversaw multiple consumer product solutions that were adopted globally, including the PayPal web and mobile applications. One such product, the personalization platform, served as a core component and backbone decision engine for personalizing customer-facing experiences at PayPal and its subsidiaries. 

“I am a problem solver, builder, and a self-motivated engineer at heart,” Ranjan explains. “Since the early days of my career, I have been passionate about building meaningful products and services that solve real-world problems of customers and improve their lives.” 

The journey began at the National Institute of Technology in India, where Ranjan earned his undergraduate degree in computer science and engineering. He then undertook research internships at top institutes, including the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Kolkata. Ranjan’s research experience and undergraduate courses laid a solid foundation for him to dive deeper into the area of machine learning, which he later pursued at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, where he earned a master’s degree in computer science with a specialization in machine learning.

Ranjan employs his educational background and practical skills to develop revolutionary products with real-world utility. In his past roles, he has designed and implemented AI/ML software products, platforms, and services for large-scale marketing enterprises, effectively closing the gap between theoretical machine learning and practical software implementation. This combination of expertise has enabled him to lead projects that redefine what’s possible in personalization and user experience optimization at some of the world’s leading tech companies.

As the lead architect for machine learning and experimentation at Adobe, Ranjan designed ML applications and systems to power personalization for thousands of global brands through Adobe’s Experience Cloud business organization. A suite of integrated marketing tools, the platform “provides the most comprehensive set of applications, capabilities, and services specifically designed to address today’s need for personalized customer experiences at scale.” Adobe Experience Platform “is the industry’s only open and extensible enterprise platform that allows brands to unify data in real time, driving real-time customer intelligence and personalization at scale.”

Research shows that 71% of customers expect companies to deliver personalized interactions, and 76% get frustrated when they don’t. Unsurprisingly, companies that excel at personalization generate 40% more revenue, highlighting the need for tools using advanced ML algorithms. Machine learning analyzes large sets of data to identify trends, allowing ML-driven personalization systems to spot patterns and predict behavior. 

As machine learning continues to evolve, Ranjan foresees even more sophisticated applications, including AI systems capable of understanding behavioral patterns and delivering marketing messages that resonate on a deeper, more personal level. He believes this next wave of ML-driven marketing will redefine how brands connect with their audiences and distinguish the winners from the ordinary brands. For his part, Ranjan is already exploring new frontiers with groundbreaking research and development efforts. He’s also passionate about mentoring the next generation of technology leaders and hopes to share his unique experiences and insights with as many of them as possible in the coming years.

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