No person or algorithm can predict human behavior accurately all the time, said Heidi Messer, chairman of New York-based Collective[i], which offers AI and predictive technologies for sales teams. But the problem with traditional polls is that the designations pollsters use are based on historical classifications and averages.

Polling will need to find a data source that captures actual behavior the way tech firms such as Amazon.com Inc. do. “Amazon’s algorithm doesn’t care if I’m a person or a dog, it just knows that if I buy a leash, I’m likely to buy kibble,” she said.

Read the article to learn more about what Heidi and other tech experts have to say about why AI holds promise for better understanding the electorate.