Pendula started life in 2017 as an email and SMS messaging platform, and has since grown to include complex experience workflows, analytics, and AI agent-based conversations. They’ve just been acquired by Smart Communications, which specializes in omnichannel engagement for highly regulated industries such as financial services, insurance, and healthcare. Price wasn’t announced but Pendula had $25.6 million in funding and 57 employees.

Using simulated humans rather than real ones to test marketing ideas apparently works just fine. Interpublic Group reports their Acxiom unit has used worked with simulation expert Aaru to select campaign audiences and messages with good results. The companies are now expanding their relationship to add predictive simulation to campaign design models in Interpublic’s Interact marketing platform.

CDP Zeta Global has unveiled Athena, a “superintelligent” voice-activated interface that delivers instant answers, smarter decisions, and agentic actions throughout the Zeta platform. It activates a suite of agentic apps that can adapt to each user’s specific goals and styles. Early access will begin later this year, with a suite of agentic apps to follow in the first half of next year.