Burson acquires AI firm Limbik to strengthen predictive communications platform

NEW YORK: Burson is bringing its AI capabilities closer to home, acquiring cognitive AI company Limbik to strengthen its predictive intelligence and AI-driven communications offering.

The acquisition brings Limbik’s proprietary technology, engineering and AI research teams into Burson, allowing the global communications agency to accelerate development of Decipher, its predictive intelligence platform.

Decipher was jointly developed by Burson and Limbik over the past two years. The platform forecasts how communications are likely to resonate with audiences across more than 60 markets, including by predicting the potential virality and believability of messaging before it reaches the public.

Corey duBrowa, CEO of Burson, said the acquisition would allow the company to build AI solutions faster and have greater control over its technology roadmap.

He said Decipher had become central to how Burson helps clients build, protect and demonstrate the value of their reputations in real time, adding that AI was becoming foundational to its client work rather than a standalone service.

The acquisition gives Burson full ownership of the technology behind Decipher, which the agency describes as the predictive engine of its wider AI-enabled ecosystem.

The platform supports work across areas including GEO, Reputation Capital, Culture Up and influencer strategy. Burson said bringing the technology in-house would also allow it to integrate Decipher more deeply across its broader innovation suite, which includes Sonar, Reputation Capital and The Fount.

The technology will also be available across the wider WPP network through WPP Open.

Limbik’s co-founders will take on new leadership roles at Burson. Zach Schwitzky, who co-founded Limbik and served as its CEO, will become global head of innovation, AI platforms and products.

Josh Levin will join as global head of innovation, clients and growth. Both will report to Chad Latz, global chief innovation officer at Burson.

The wider Limbik team will join Burson’s Innovation team, working on AI advisory services and product development across the agency.

Schwitzky said Limbik had built a cognitive framework designed to understand how audiences respond to information, positioning Decipher as more than another communications tool.

For Burson, the acquisition is part of a broader effort to build a permanent innovation capability around AI rather than treat the technology as an add-on.

DuBrowa said the company plans to continuously develop, test and integrate new AI products across its practices, markets and communications and creative workflows.

The acquisition strengthens Burson’s position in AI-native audience intelligence while giving it greater control over the technology underpinning its predictive communications offering.