At the heart of WEVO’s innovation is a commitment to making user research faster, smarter, and more accessible. We sat down with Mark Micheli, WEVO’s VP of Growth & Product Strategy, to explore the company’s mission, the rise of AI-powered simulations, and what’s next for digital experience optimization.
A Journey from Investigative Journalism to AI-Powered Insights
Mark Micheli’s career has always revolved around asking the right questions—first as an investigative journalist in Washington, DC, covering public-sector management and emerging technologies, and later as a strategist in digital marketing, UX research, and product innovation. Across industries, one challenge remained constant: research was often too slow, too expensive, or skipped altogether.
“When I discovered WEVO—specifically their approach of blending rapid AI-powered simulations with large-scale human insights—I saw a remarkable solution to that problem,” Micheli shares. “It’s exactly the kind of co-intelligence I’ve been advocating for: letting AI handle iterative feedback so we can double down on meaningful, human-driven research where it matters most.”
Now, as WEVO’s VP of Growth & Product Strategy and a board advisor, Micheli plays a crucial role in aligning the company’s innovations with real-world customer needs. He works closely with leadership to refine WEVO Pro and WEVO Pulse, ensuring both products empower teams with fast, actionable, and human-centered insights.
In the last year, Micheli has played a pivotal role in shaping WEVO’s evolution— guiding the integration of Generative AI, user research, and customer experience insights into the platform.
“My day-to-day is about bridging cutting-edge technology with empathetic design thinking so our clients can make confident decisions faster,” he says.
This also means things like:
- Aligning product roadmaps with real-world customer needs.
- Refining WEVO Pro for deep human insights.
- Enhancing WEVO Pulse so teams can simulate user experiences on demand.
- Developing go-to-market strategies that highlight the unique blend of AI and human feedback.
In an era where research bottlenecks can mean missed opportunities, this approach helps teams gain instant feedback while preserving the depth and empathy of traditional research.
The Power of the Simulation Era
WEVO is at the forefront of what Micheli calls the Simulation Era—a shift in digital experience optimization powered by AI-driven insights.
“Many companies struggle to keep up with user demands,” he notes. “They either skip research altogether or rely on incomplete data. WEVO fast-tracks insights by offering AI simulations for rapid iteration and large-scale human feedback to keep decisions grounded in real-world perspectives.”
At the core of this transformation are two technologies:
- Simulated Audiences – AI models trained on extensive user studies that can predict responses and identify usability trends in minutes.
- Agentic AI – AI-driven personas that simulate decision-making processes, surfacing friction points before users even engage with an experience.
Rather than replacing human research, these simulations act as a strategic tool—allowing teams to validate ideas before investing in full-scale studies.
While many research platforms promise fast results, WEVO differentiates itself by combining AI speed with authentic human insights.
“Other AI tools can be shallow or purely machine-driven,” Micheli says. “WEVO balances predictive simulations with live user input, catching friction points early without losing the richness of actual human voices.”
A defining feature is WEVO’s Experience Quality Score (EQS), which evaluates trust, reliability, and intuitiveness—metrics that standard A/B testing often overlooks.
“It’s not just about quick wins,” he adds. “It’s about creating a deeper understanding of user experience—helping teams design with confidence.”
The Impact of AI-Powered Research
One of Micheli’s proudest moments at WEVO has been accelerating Generative AI capabilities within WEVO Pulse.
“We demonstrated that AI could accurately predict around 80% of the issues users would report in actual studies—outperforming many larger LLM-based solutions,” he explains. “Seeing clients realize they can get rapid, high-fidelity feedback in real-time is incredibly rewarding. It redefines how quickly they can validate ideas while still leaving space for deeper human-led research where qualitative nuance matters most.”
This speed is transformative. One client discovered a critical usability issue in just 48 hours—something that had been missed for months. “They realized that waiting for traditional research wasn’t just inconvenient—it was costing them conversions.”
AI is reshaping UX research, but Mark Micheli is clear: it’s a force multiplier, not a replacement.
“AI shifts us from sporadic, one-shot studies to a continuous research cycle,” he states. “Instead of burning an entire budget on foundational testing, teams can reserve resources for deeper, more strategic inquiries—the kind of questions AI can’t answer alone.”
Looking ahead, WEVO’s mission is to make research as seamless as running an A/B test—where teams can press a button, get immediate insights, and escalate to qualitative studies when needed.
“The Simulation Era is here, and with WEVO’s focus on co-intelligence—where machines amplify human creativity rather than replace it—we can truly elevate digital experiences.”
__________________________________________________________________________
Ready to experience the power of AI-powered insights? Try WEVO Pulse today and discover a smarter way to optimize your digital experiences.
