Influential Women launches empathy and AI masterclass with Emily Lyman

Influential Women has launched Empathy: Your Marketing Edge in an AI-Accelerated World, a masterclass featuring Emily Lyman, founder and CEO of the marketing consultancy Branch & Bramble. Announced Aug. 7, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Florida, the session teaches marketers to pair behavioral science with AI tools to build customer trust. Artificial intelligence now handles much of the work that once consumed marketers' hours: writing copy, analyzing behavior at scale, automating routine tasks. As AI-generated content becomes more common, brands face a different problem: standing out in a crowded feed. Lyman's answer is not more content but stronger connection. "Empathy is not simply a feeling - it's a discipline," she said. The masterclass is the latest offering from Influential Women, a media platform that spotlights women leaders through masterclasses, podcasts, and editorial features.

Why empathy is a competitive advantage

Lyman draws on behavioral science and emotional intelligence to make her case: while AI is good at producing information, people make decisions based on emotion. Brands that understand what their customers value, fear, and aspire to become are the ones most likely to earn trust and long-term loyalty, she said. The masterclass moves beyond demographics and analytics to uncover the emotional motivations behind customer decisions. Lyman demonstrates how AI can identify patterns and insights while leaving creative and relationship-building work where it belongs - with people.

What the masterclass covers

The session introduces a five-step framework for integrating empathy into every stage of marketing. Participants learn to use the Customer Empathy Scorecard to evaluate content and build strategies based on emotional insight rather than behavioral data alone. Participants will learn:

• Why empathy is a competitive advantage in modern marketing
• How emotions and values influence customer decisions
• The difference between behavioral data and emotional insight
• A five-step framework for building empathetic marketing strategies
• How to identify the emotional drivers behind customer behavior
• Ways to use AI to uncover customer insights without sacrificing authenticity
• How to evaluate marketing content using the Customer Empathy Scorecard
• Practical strategies for creating stronger customer relationships and improving marketing performance

Why this matters for marketers

AI will keep automating content production, but it won't replace the judgment that comes from understanding people. Marketers who build empathy into their process can create campaigns that resonate rather than just reach. Lyman's approach treats empathy as a repeatable skill - one that can be practiced and measured. For marketers who want to pair that skill with technical knowledge, Complete AI Training offers an AI Learning Path for Marketing Managers covering how to apply AI tools across campaign planning, content, and analytics. Those looking to stay current on AI's role in the field can also follow the AI for Marketing tag for updates on how the technology is changing marketing work.