InnovateMR Leaders’ Perspectives on AI in Market Research and Beyond
As the world rapidly adopts artificial intelligence (AI) across various industries, 2024 has truly emerged as a transformative year of AI. From enhancing automation to providing more profound data insights, AI is reshaping industries, including market research. At InnovateMR, we recognize AI’s transformative impact and are embracing this revolution to push boundaries, improve our offerings, and tackle emerging challenges.
In this article, we share our leadership’s perspectives on AI’s impact on the market research industry. Our CEO Lisa Wilding-Brown, SVP of Global Innovation & Product Strategy Amanda Keller-Grill, and SVP of Global Supply Sandy Casey offer unique insights into how AI is being leveraged to innovate, improve, and safeguard the future of market research.
Combatting Fraud in a World of AI: CEO Lisa Wilding-Brown’s Perspective
AI brings immense opportunities for market research, but with it comes the inevitable challenge of increased fraud. As an industry veteran with extensive experience in multiple roles centered on Quality and best research practices, InnovateMR’s CEO, Lisa Wilding-Brown has been at the forefront of addressing this critical issue. Through her leadership and commitment, she has contributed significantly to combating fraud through webinars, conference speaking, and thought leadership, reinforcing the need to tackle these challenges head-on.
With the rise of AI-generated content, concerns about fraudulent or inauthentic responses in market research have increased. While real human insights are still the backbone of research, the growing use of AI introduces new complexities.
Synthetic Sample, which uses AI-generated respondents to mimic human behavior in surveys, offers some potential benefits, such as filling gaps in data or testing survey systems. However, it also brings challenges. “The key issue with Synthetic Sample is that it can skew genuine insights if not used carefully,” Lisa Wilding-Brown explains. “Though it can be useful in controlled settings, when it comes to live market research, synthetic responses risk diluting the authenticity of the data.”
As AI tools continue to evolve, the ability to distinguish between real and synthetic respondents is becoming increasingly critical. Researchers must be mindful of the limitations and ensure Synthetic Sample is used appropriately. “It’s important to understand that Synthetic Sample has its place for simulations or predictive modeling, but it shouldn’t become a substitute for real human perspectives in live studies.”
Lisa emphasizes that while AI offers exciting possibilities, the industry must maintain its focus on human input. “Synthetic Sample can complement market research, but it should never replace the authentic, engaged human respondents that give us true insights. The goal is to use AI in ways that enhance research quality, without compromising data integrity.”
We are actively embracing and utilizing AI, for example with our Text Analyzer, to enhance our capabilities. Looking ahead, Lisa sees AI as a tool that will help detect fraud and enable more intelligent targeting of participants, ensuring that surveys reach authentic, highly engaged respondents. “We’re building smarter, more efficient systems that will continue to build trust and accuracy in the data collection process for our clients. AI is not just transforming market research; it’s strengthening and fortifying it.”
Revolutionizing Data with AI-Powered Text Analysis: Amanda Keller-Grill’s Perspective
InnovateMR’s enhanced Text Analyzer™, led by Amanda Keller-Grill, SVP of Global Innovation & Product Strategy, exemplifies how AI-driven tools are transforming the approach to survey data quality. Developed to improve fraud detection and data integrity, this advanced solution efficiently categorizes and filters open-ended survey responses, going beyond conventional data analysis.
“Our clients often face challenges when processing large amounts of text data,” Amanda explains. “Traditional methods that rely on manual review are not only time-consuming but can also introduce human error and bias. That’s where AI makes a difference, streamlining the process and bolstering data accuracy.”
The upgraded Text Analyzer employs natural language processing (NLP) to screen and categorize responses in real time, identifying patterns that signal low-quality or fraudulent data. “Our AI doesn’t just rely on keywords,” Amanda says. “It interprets context to identify unusual patterns, which enhances data validation.”
To meet the needs of a global market, the Text Analyzer is now available in a growing library of languages, including US and UK English, Spanish, French, and German, with additional languages coming soon. “This expansion enables our clients to maintain data quality across diverse demographics,” Amanda notes, “empowering them to make well-informed decisions regardless of language.”
Amanda stresses the importance of ongoing innovation, noting that each Text Analyzer update improves its ability to detect potential data issues faster and more accurately. In an industry where data quality and speed are essential, Amanda believes AI-powered tools like Text Analyzer will be pivotal in enabling clients to make quicker, more reliable decisions.
“AI is revolutionizing how we ensure data integrity,” Amanda states. “The future of market research will be shaped by tools that not only streamline processes but also safeguard the highest data quality, producing insights that truly matter.”
Leveraging AI in Market Research: Sandy Casey’s Insights on Sourcing Traffic and Optimizing Respondent Experience
Sandy Casey, SVP of Global Supply, believes AI has the potential to revolutionize how the market research industry sources traffic and understands target audiences. With rising demand for high-quality, timely insights, AI offers tools to enhance every step of the research process, from finding the right respondents to improving the user experience.
“Finding the right respondents used to be a challenging and time-consuming task,” Sandy explains. “With AI, we can now optimize outgo email invitations, improve traffic sourcing, and identify those audiences that are both qualified and more likely to engage, leading to faster completion times and higher conversion rates. By using AI-driven targeting, we’re able to pinpoint participants who are genuinely interested in the research topic, resulting in richer, more accurate data.”
AI also brings valuable insights into understanding audience preferences and behaviors. “Through behavioral analysis and predictive modeling on historical performance, AI helps us gauge which respondents are likely to complete a survey and which incentives will drive participation,” Sandy adds. “This data allows us to tailor our approach, enhancing the overall user experience by aligning surveys and timing of invitations with participants’ interests and motivations. Think how much better your response rate is when you get an invitation to someone when they want it vs. too early in the morning, for example, dropping the invite way down in the email box increases the chances of getting ‘lost.’”
Improving the respondent experience doesn’t stop at targeting—it extends to engagement and retention. “If someone completes a survey and is rewarded, they’re much more likely to come back for another one,” Sandy says. “AI helps us create a positive experience by predicting the types of incentives that resonate most and with who, which results in repeat participation resulting in a loyal panel base.”
By leveraging AI to streamline processes, optimize targeting, and deliver relevant incentives, market researchers can achieve faster completion times, increase conversion rates, and elevate the overall respondent experience. “AI empowers us to not only meet our clients’ needs more efficiently but also to keep respondents engaged and coming back, ensuring a sustainable and responsive quality research environment,” Sandy concludes.
However, the use of AI in market research extends beyond participant sourcing. Sandy highlights the role of AI in automating data collection and processing, enabling researchers to focus on interpreting the results rather than being bogged down by manual tasks. “AI is enabling real-time data collection and analysis, which means faster insights for our clients. In today’s fast-paced business environment, speed to insight can be the difference between success and failure.”
As AI continues to evolve, Sandy believes that its role in market research will only grow. “We’re already seeing AI-driven chatbots conducting qualitative interviews, and AI algorithms analyzing large datasets for trends that would take humans weeks or months to identify. This is just the beginning. AI will continue to enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and depth of market research in ways we haven’t yet imagined.”
Conclusion
At InnovateMR, we are committed to staying ahead of the curve by continuously adapting to new technologies like AI. This year, AI has propelled us to rethink how we approach market research, allowing us to deliver faster, more accurate, and more meaningful insights. Whether it’s dedication to combating fraud with advanced AI-driven detection, developing cutting-edge tools like the Text Analyzer, or strategic use of AI to enhance participant engagement and data quality, we are leveraging AI to create smarter solutions.
Our commitment to innovation ensures that we remain at the forefront of the market research industry, pushing boundaries and driving progress. As AI and other emerging technologies evolve, InnovateMR will continue to integrate them into our processes, enhancing the quality of our research while maintaining the integrity and reliability our clients expect. We believe that technology is the key to unlocking new possibilities, and we are dedicated to shaping the future of market research by embracing and leading with innovation.
About InnovateMR – InnovateMR is a full-service sampling and ResTech company that delivers faster, quality insights from business and consumer audiences utilizing cutting-edge technologies to support agile research. As industry pioneers, InnovateMR provides world-class end-to-end survey programming, targeted international sampling, qualitative and quantitative insights, and customized consultation services to support informed, data-driven strategies, and identify growth opportunities. Known for their celebrated status in customer service and results, InnovateMR combines boutique-level service with extensive global reach to achieve partner success.
