EPAM Systems Launches Empathy Lab to Unite Marketing, Product and Engineering

EPAM launches Empathy Lab to unify marketing and tech

EPAM Systems is rolling out Empathy Lab across North America from its Newtown, Pennsylvania hub, scaling an AI-native agency it says unites marketing, product and engineering into agentic platforms for next-generation marketing. The offering follows a successful inaugural year in Europe and combines EPAM’s deep software engineering capabilities with a human-centered design approach aimed at building intelligent growth systems that link creativity, data and execution. EPAM frames the move as a response to mounting CMO pressure to move beyond incremental automation toward systems that protect brand differentiation while delivering measurable commercial impact.

Executives position Empathy Lab as a practical model for marketing and technology leaders seeking faster time-to-market, operational scalability and stronger cross-functional governance. Elaina Shekhter, EPAM’s SVP and chief marketing and strategy officer, says the lab reconnects siloed functions and “puts empathy at the center of every AI-powered experience.” David Billings, chief strategy officer of Empathy Lab, stresses that the larger opportunity is using AI to connect insight, creativity and execution so teams can make faster decisions and produce stronger creative work tied to commercial outcomes.

The North American launch emphasizes ethical, human-centered design and aims to help clients pilot, iterate and scale agentic solutions while preserving brand equity amid rapid AI-driven change. EPAM reports that Empathy Lab is already partnering with global brands and major agency groups, and the company positions the service to deliver measurable long-term ROI through intelligent orchestration of marketing functions rather than piecemeal automation.

Quarterly report spotlights AI strategy

EPAM is due to release quarterly results on Feb. 19, 2026, and management commentary is likely to focus on demand for AI-driven services, utilization rates and client project ramps rather than short-term market moves. Observers expect the company to detail how investments in AI capabilities and agentic platforms like Empathy Lab are shaping pipeline, delivery models and cross-border delivery economics.

Marketing re-architecture gains traction across the industry

The launch underscores a broader industry shift as brands and agency groups re-architect marketing to orchestrate creativity, data and technology as a single connected system. EPAM frames 2026 as the year marketing must move from efficiency-focused automation to orchestration, with human-centered AI design and governance becoming critical for sustaining emotional connection and scaling customer relationships.