System and method for concurrently conducting cause-and-effect experiments on content effectiveness and adjusting content distribution to optimize business objectives

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• conducting, by a processing system, an experiment using experimental content to determine effectiveness of communication content in accordance with a schedule comprising a first set and a second set of time periods, the experiment conducted using the first set of time periods;
• and
• executing, by the processing system, while conducting the experiment, a machine learning routine (MLR) using MLR content to enhance an effectiveness metric in accordance with the schedule, wherein:
• the machine learning routine comprises one or both of an explore routine associated with explore content and an exploit routine associated with exploit content;
• for experimental content that are related to either of explore or exploit content, using the second set of time periods for the explore or exploit routine;
• and
• for experimental content that are unrelated to either of explore or exploit content, using at least some of the first set of time periods for the explore or exploit routine.

A computer system having one or more processors and memories, comprising:

• a module executed on the one or more processors configured to conduct an experiment and use experimental content to determine effectiveness of communication content in accordance with a schedule comprising a first plurality of time-slot samples and a second plurality of time-slot samples, the experiment being conducted using the first plurality of time-slot samples;
• and
• a module executed on the one or more processors configured to execute, while conducting the experiment, a machine learning routine (MLR) and use MLR content to enhance an effectiveness metric in accordance with the schedule, wherein:
• the machine learning routine comprises a reinforcement learning routine, the reinforcement learning routine comprising one or both of an explore routine associated with explore content and an exploit routine associated with exploit content;
• for experimental content that are related to either of explore or exploit content, using the second plurality of the time-slot samples for the explore or exploit routine;
• and
• for experimental content that are unrelated to either of explore or exploit content, using at least some of the first plurality of time-slot samples for the explore or exploit content.