Peter Zandan

Peter A. Zandan (born 1953) is an American data scientist, entrepreneur and business executive known for founding analytics and technology-focused companies and for senior leadership roles in data science and communications consulting. His current work focuses on measuring and improving human decision-making, communication, and behavior through analytics and artificial intelligence.

Zandan was born in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and an MBA and PhD from the University of Texas at Austin.

He is the executive chairman and chief data scientist of Quantified AI, which was named to the 2025 Inc. 5000 as one of the 50 fastest-growing AI firms in the US. Quantified AI uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to assess, develop and improve individual communication skills

Zandan founded IntelliQuest Information Group Inc. in 1984 and served as its chairman and chief executive officer until 1999. The company specialized in technology market research and adopted early electronic and internet-based survey methods. IntelliQuest was listed on Inc. magazine’s Inc. 500 ranking of fastest-growing private companies in 1995 and 1996. Zandan took the company public on NASDAQ in 1996, and it was acquired by WPP in 1999.

In 1998, Zandan founded Zilliant Inc., an enterprise software company focused on predictive analytics and pricing optimization. Zilliant received investment from Goldman Sachs and was named to The Wall Street Journal list of the “Top 50 Venture-Backed Companies” in 2011. The company was acquired by Madison Dearborn Partners in 2021.

From 2011 to 2021, Zandan served as global vice chairman of Hill+Knowlton Strategies, where he worked on analytics-driven reputation management and communications research.

Zandan has served on the board of KLRU-TV, Austin’s public television station, and has been a member of the Board of Directors of Meow Wolf since 2017.

In September 2023, Zandan was appointed Special Advisor for Audience and Impact to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

In August 2025, Zandan appeared as The Great Zandini, his creative persona as the self-described “world’s first data psychic,” during the Canyon Road Summer Walk in Santa Fe. Through this character, he blends rigorous data analytics with intuition and storytelling to examine themes of technology, human behavior, and artificial intelligence.

In 2026, Zandan authored the independent report Santa Fe, Creative Capital of America for Santa Fe Magazine. The study analyzed national datasets on creative professionals per capita and concluded that Santa Fe ranks as the most creative city in the United States when measured by creative density. The report, available on Zandan's site thegreatzandini.com, informed programming for the Santa Fe Magazine Festival, including a panel discussion featuring Zandan alongside Santa Fe Mayor Michael Garcia and other local leaders.

In May 2026, Zandan was inducted into the Austin Technology Council Hall of Fame in recognition of his nearly five decades of contributions to Austin’s technology ecosystem, including founding IntelliQuest (which he took public on NASDAQ), Zilliant, and Quantified AI, as well as creating the Zandan Poll and advising numerous leaders and organizations.

He moderated the panel “AI: Navigating Our Way” at the inaugural Santa Fe Magazine Festival on June 13, 2026, alongside Creative Director Jace Mercer, Meow Wolf Co-Founder Vince Kadlubek, and Nuclear Engineer Chantell Murphy.