New York City Metropolitan Area
I work at the intersection of AI, economics, and human behavior. Focusing on the forces behind the headlines rather than the headlines themselves. Over the past 25+ years, I built and led multiple analytics and AI-driven ventures, including early work in natural language processing and unstructured data analysis, well before these approaches became mainstream. My work has spanned: • Consumer behavior, segmentation, and customer insight • NLP, text mining, and unstructured data at scale • Multivariate modeling, data mining, and predictive analytics • Patented text analytics platforms (US 8,473,498) • Global market strategy and venture building A consistent theme has run through all of it: The most important insights don't come from the data alone, but from understanding the systems, incentives, and behaviors underneath it. I'm currently on sabbatical, using the time to step back and focus on longer-horizon questions around AI, economic systems, and structural change. Through The Civilizational Realist, I write about: • How AI is reshaping knowledge, decision-making, and power • How economic and political systems actually function, versus how they're described • How culture, incentives, and information interact at scale I'm less interested in surface-level answers, and more interested in: What's really driving this and what happens next? I'm always open to conversations with people working on similar questions.
Exploring narrative, meaning, and system-level interpretation of data and information. Builds on earlier work in text analytics and AI, focusing on how humans and organizations construct meaning from complex information. Currently on sabbatical, focused on writing, research, and long-term systems thinking.
Built patented text analytics software platforms (OdinText, then OdinAnswers) designed to extract structured insight from unstructured human language, bridging qualitative and quantitative research at scale. Applications included: • Consumer insight generation from open-ended and social data • Brand, messaging, and sentiment analysis • Behavioral segmentation and NLP-driven modeling • CX analytics for digital-first companies Helped pioneer practical applications of NLP in market research and business strategy. Currently on sabbatical.
OdinText is a patented text analytics software platform built especially for market research and CRM professionals.
Served as advocate for the AMA constituency, ensuring content and programming met the needs of analytics and insights professionals.
The market has changed, the customers have changed, why should consumer insight be the same? Marketing Research/Consumer Insights have changed little since the mid 90’s and still offer only 1.0 Insights. This is an invitation only group for Analytics Professionals with 7+ y/exp who want more than traditional MR (site: www.nextgenmr.com blog: www.tomhcanderson.com)
Built and led an analytics consultancy focused on extracting insight from complex and unstructured data. Early work included text analytics and NLP applied to consumer behavior well before these approaches became mainstream. Clients spanned Fortune 500 brands including Unilever and other global enterprises. Services included: • Large-scale consumer segmentation and behavioral profiling • Text mining, social media analysis, and unstructured data interpretation • Multivariate analytics and predictive modeling • Strategic advisory and competitive intelligence