AI predictive analytics for email: what's real and what's hype

Every ESP is adding "AI" to their feature list. Here is what actually works based on our testing.

Real results

• Send time optimization: 10-15% open rate improvement (validated across multiple platforms)
• Subject line generation: 5-12% improvement when trained on your data
• Churn prediction: Identifying at-risk subscribers before they disengage (reduces churn 20-30%)

Overhyped

• Fully automated campaigns: Still need human oversight for quality
• AI-generated designs: Not reliable for email client compatibility
• Predictive content: Results are marginal unless you have massive data sets

The best AI email features are the ones that augment human decisions rather than replace them. Brew and Klaviyo are doing this well.