Embracing AI in market research: A roadmap for the future

The market research industry is on the brink of transformation, and AI will play a pivotal role in this evolution. But the adoption of AI presents both challenges and exciting opportunities. 

"This is an industry that has always changed and evolved... it’s just the next evolution."

- Karen Kraft, Associate Director of Consumer Insights & Analytics, Johnsonville

While many organizations grapple with the fears and uncertainties surrounding AI, it’s crucial to recognize its potential to revolutionize the industry. Here’s a few ways businesses can navigate this transition and leverage AI effectively.

One of the most significant barriers to implementing AI in organizations is fear. People are often afraid of change and AI is bringing about a lot of change across industries.

But professionals often worry about becoming obsolete or falling behind competitors. So to combat their fear, you can share success stories from industry leaders. 

For instance, demonstrating how brands like Mars have successfully integrated AI can inspire your team to adopt similar strategies and remove the fear of adopting AI into their own processes. As an example, here’s a clip of Jacci Weber, Team Lead, Pet Parent Insights at Mars Petcare, sharing how her and her team are already using AI in their day-to-day.

Seeing how other brands are adopting AI fearlessly can instill some FOMO, and the more these instances are shared, the less fear can cloud the exciting opportunities there are to experiment and advance. 

“I don't want to be the last QSR who's implementing AI or the last organization.”

- Karen Kraft, Associate Director of Consumer Insights & Analytics, Johnsonville

💡 Fear can limit your ability to advance. The more your organization can see how AI is being successfully implemented or how your competition is benefitting from using AI, the less wary your teams may feel. 

Aligning AI initiatives with core values is also essential for successful adoption. If AI is ingrained in your organizational values, it’s much easier to make it just part of how the organization functions. 

For example, focusing on principles such as efficiency can help teams understand the practical benefits of AI and demonstrate its potential to streamline processes. And many large brands are already using AI to eliminate the more time consuming or menial parts of their role:   

"AI is phenomenal at taking masses of unstructured data and summarizing it very well. So it’s super easy [for AI] to scroll through the tens of thousands of pieces of research we have and pull out some of the key insights to help you find what you’re looking for." 

- Tony Costella, Global Consumer and Market Insights Director at Heineken

AI can create easier starting points for researchers by generating multiple versions of a concept quickly or even create new concepts based on existing consumer data, which can help insights teams put ideas in front of consumers earlier (aka more efficiently). 

💡 Think of where AI may fit into your current organizational values. Chances are, there’s already areas it does, but if not consider adding on to your values.

As AI transforms the market research role, it is vital to focus on developing new skill sets. 

Researchers are naturally curious and adept at asking the right questions, which positions them well for integrating AI into their workflows. But the future will require researchers to pivot from executing studies to influencing business strategies, making skills in storytelling, consulting and stakeholder engagement critical.

For more of the skills you should consider strengthening to succeed in the future, check out our article below. 

💡 Developing new skill sets is essential regardless of AI. What’s important is seeing where the industry is headed and areas that you may need to improve upon to advance with what the future holds.

Interestingly, we’ve found that AI can be more creative than humans. 

"I believe the main reason AI can be more creative is that a company’s marketing and insights teams are often entrenched in their category and their own brands that they unintentionally limit themselves. They are constrained by the world they’re familiar with and struggle to think beyond incremental improvements. But AI doesn’t have those limitations. It can be revolutionarily creative."

- Steve Phillips, Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Zappi

However, humans are still a critical part of the creation process. We need that human insight to make sure the organization only invests in ideas that make sense in the real world and that consumers will purchase — which is why collaboration with AI will be key. 

Here’s what Nic Umana, Global Agile Innovation Human Intelligence Director at Mars, had to say about this.

"The future of insights is not less human. It’s actually using us as humans in a better way. It’s having humans understand how to partner with machines and working out how humans give you that competitive advantage."

- Nic Umana, Global Agile Innovation Human Intelligence Director at Mars

💡 The power of human insight will never go away, but AI can help you spark new opportunities or unlock ideas that you may not have thought of before. The collaboration between human and machine will be what truly propels us forward in the future.

It’s essential to understand that AI is not infallible. As organizations begin to rely on AI for business decisions, acknowledging its limitations is critical. 

“One of the biggest fears I have is using an AI model and asking a question, getting flawed, bad information back, and having that in the hands of marketers who then go off and run with it. If you're gonna bring robots into the room, they need to be able to tell you what their limitations are.”

- Jordan Cushner, Head of Guest Insights, Popeyes

This awareness can prevent the dissemination of flawed information, particularly when it is in the hands of marketers who may act on it without thorough vetting. 

Encouraging open discussions about AI's capabilities and shortcomings can foster a culture of accountability and informed decision-making, as well as adoption.

💡 Nothing is perfect. While AI opens up many opportunities and advancements, it’s still important to review what it provides or suggests and have open conversations about its shortcomings. 

“Don’t be afraid to break stuff.”

- Jacci Weber, Team Lead, Pet Parent Insights at Mars Petcare

As the industry evolves, insights professionals must be open to experimentation and learning. 

Embracing discomfort and taking risks are vital to mastering new technologies. Trial and error are part of the process and sharing experiences and insights within the community will empower everyone to navigate AI more effectively.

The future of market research is bright, and with the right mindset and tools, we can turn challenges into opportunities for growth. Let’s embrace this journey together and shape a more innovative and impactful future for our industry!