Which market research roles will survive—and which will vanish—in the age of AI?

October 9th 2024

By Abigail Stuart, Founding Partner at Day One Strategy

In the last six months, I’ve been stunned at how fast things are evolving in the world of market research, data, and insights. At Day One Strategy, this change is entirely due to the integration of AI within our project workstreams. Almost every single project we’re working on right now includes an AI component. Our researchers remain firmly in the driving seat, but AI is quickly becoming another team member, assisting us on a multitude of tasks. We’ve rolled out a purpose-built qual analysis tool, an AI note-taking instrument, and conducted avatar interviews.

Beyond research efficiencies and methodological enhancements, we’ve been building AI agents to support ideation, competitive intelligence, and more. Some of these are integrated within traditional project workflows—our Ideation Agents, for example, help us translate insights into activation plans, communication strategies, and behavioural interventions, allowing us to deliver maximum strategic value to our clients. But we’ve also been doing ground-breaking work developing custom Small Language Models (sMLs) for our most forward-thinking clients, built on their proprietary and trusted data sources. These sMLs model HCP personas and are used on an ongoing basis to support brand launches, giving our clients access to instant customer insights that were previously unattainable.

If this pace of change continues, insight roles on both the client and agency side will need to adapt rapidly. When discussion guides can be generated in seconds, AI can transcribe, synthesise, and analyse massive volumes of unstructured data, and a fleet of AI agents can be deployed to tackle any question—how must roles evolve, and what new, critical positions will take shape?

These are the core skills that I predict will shape successful insights professionals and market researchers in an AI-powered future:

1. Prompt Engineering: At Day One Strategy, prompt engineering has quickly become a core skill we expect from everyone in the business—much like proficiency in PowerPoint or Excel. This emerging field is a natural extension for researchers, as it requires the ability to phrase questions and commands in a way that yields high-quality outputs from AI. Given that researchers are already adept at crafting insightful and precise questions, prompt engineering offers a clear and accessible way for them to evolve their skill set in an AI-driven world.
2. Data Science: As AI and machine learning become core components of the research process, data scientists will play a pivotal role in both insight agencies and client-side teams. They will be responsible for developing and refining AI models, ensuring the data feeding into these models is clean and reliable, and identifying patterns that traditional researchers might overlook. On the client side, data scientists will help tailor AI tools to specific business needs, enabling more precise segmentation, predictive analytics, and personalised insights.
3. Data Interpretation: Many in the qualitative research community are concerned about the rise of AI, arguing that AI-generated analysis can be bland, contextually lacking, and unable to identify those golden nuggets that define a winning strategy. They may have a point—rigorous yet creative interpretation of qualitative data will be more in demand than ever. The same applies to quantitative data: AI can process and visualise data, but it’s human interpretation that reveals the deeper insights, uncovers unexpected correlations, and frames the results in a way that drives strategic decisions. Researchers who can blend AI-driven efficiency with human intuition will be the key to turning data into insights that make a real impact.
4. Strategic Consulting: While AI can analyse data, it cannot replicate the strategic acumen that comes from years of industry experience. Researchers will need to evolve from data gatherers to strategic consultants who can provide high-level insights and actionable recommendations. The lines between researcher and strategist will continue to blur, positioning insights professionals as trusted advisors who bring an unparalleled understanding of the customer to the table.
5. Storytelling: As AI continues to commoditise many aspects of insight gathering, the real value of research will shift from simply reporting findings to connecting the dots between multiple data sources. Researchers who can transform data into compelling narratives that resonate with stakeholders will stand out. The ability to craft a cohesive story that weaves together diverse data points into a meaningful message will be a defining skill that sets top researchers apart.
6. Project Management: In the future, we may need fewer junior researchers, but the demand for skilled project managers will increase. The role will evolve beyond traditional task coordination to include managing multiple AI tools, ensuring seamless integration of AI outputs, and synthesising them with real-time feedback from clients and respondents. Project managers will need to have a deeper understanding of both technology and research processes to effectively oversee AI-human collaboration, troubleshoot AI-related issues, and maintain quality control across a more complex, tech-enabled project workflow.
7. Relationship Building: With AI taking over data-heavy tasks, human-centric skills like empathy, active listening, and relationship-building will become even more crucial. Researchers who can build strong connections with clients and respondents, understand their needs, and translate those into meaningful research objectives will stand out.

The rise of AI doesn’t signal the end of the insights industry—it marks the beginning of a new chapter. While certain roles may evolve or disappear, there will be countless new opportunities for those who are willing to embrace change and adapt. The industry will continue to thrive, powered by human creativity, intuition, and strategic thinking—complemented by the efficiencies and capabilities of AI.

My advice to you: go where the action is happening. When you see new tools, processes, or methodologies being introduced, don’t shy away—ask to be involved. Immerse yourself in new technologies, volunteer for AI-related projects, and become part of the change. This is where the future of insights is being shaped, and being at the forefront of it will ensure you remain relevant and invaluable in this rapidly evolving industry.