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We built sprawling Voice of the Customer programs and sophisticated feedback loops, all in service of creating a perfect reflection of our customer inside the walls of the enterprise. But as marketing leaders, we know the truth: the reflection in that mirror is becoming increasingly distorted. Survey fatigue is real, panel quality is a constant concern, and the very act of asking a question can color the response. We’ve become masters at optimizing the collection of feedback, but are we still getting the truth?
In the time it takes to field a traditional study, a new competitor could emerge, a cultural trend could fizzle, or the entire market sentiment could shift on a dime. This “speed to insights” bottleneck isn’t just an operational headache; it’s a strategic liability. The cost of waiting is often eclipsed only by the risk of not waiting and making a decision based on little more than institutional memory and a well-argued opinion.
This article was written for MarTech by Greg Kihlström. We’re experiencing a conflict between the economic pressure to produce quick and cheap research results and the scientific demand for rigor. Hundreds, if not thousands, of lifelike personas can be generated within minutes by vendors
promising strong results.
But these often operate as methodological black boxes, producing outputs that can’t be validated, may contain hidden bias and can quietly mislead
decision-making.
This article was written by Greg Kihlström for CMSWire. Experiences are not just a feature of the business. They are the business,” said Qualtrics CEO
Jason Maynard as he kicked off Qualtrics X4, which took place March 17 to 19 at the Seattle Convention Center.
The promise is intoxicating: “instant users” available 24/7, capable of
testing a prototype in minutes rather than weeks, all for a fraction of the
cost of recruiting human participants.
After decades of “spend-to-learn” advertising, are you still paying for
consumer insights that AI can generate for free, before a single dollar of
media spend?
This article was written by Greg Kihlström for CMSWire. As customer
expectations accelerate, CX leaders are turning to synthetic research and
agentic AI to test experiences before customers ever feel the friction.
By 2026, market research won’t be defined by tools, methodologies, or new data streams. It will be defined by something far simpler: the choices researchers make about how to work with artificial intelligence.
The landscape of market research is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence. Research from Qualtrics shows senior marketing and CX leaders are increasingly recognizing AI’s capacity to deliver competitive advantages, with 94% acknowledging its strategic importance.
