The report, called Adoption & Integration: AI Where are we now?, also said that keeping your core offering the spotlight was a key principle in adopting AI, specifically to help maintain the unique value proposition of insights and expertise and avoid ‘AI washing’.

The other two guiding principles were championing collaborative change and cross-disciplinary knowledge sharing, and knowing your technology.

This is the third instalment in a series of reports on the implications of generative AI on the market research sector. One year on from the original report, ‘Adoption & Integration: AI Where are We Now?' looks at the early successes and ongoing challenges of integrating generative AI into market research practice. 

Listen to Adelynne Chao, Patrick Alcantara and Gemma Proctor as they reflect on the findings from the report:

The report is the third instalment in a series of reports which explore the impact of generative AI on the market research sector, with the purpose of demystifying discussions about AI and setting them within the context of the business of research.

Building on the BEST Framework for Gen AI, published at the end of last year, the report offers perspectives from experts within research service suppliers and leading consumer brands including Virgin Money and ITV on how they have managed to effectively integrate the technology to improve their services and operations.

The report also said that within the research, insight and data analytics sector, the types of activities that could make use of current AI and related technologies include operations and data collection, data measurement and analysis, reporting and report writing.

However, in some areas usage of AI tools was low, with an MRS Company Partner Survey this year indicating that 56% of respondents had not used AI or machine learning in data capture, 49% had not in deliverables and 45% had not in project setup.

Analysis ( 35%) and data processing ( 28%) also had significant proportions that had not used AI or machine learning, with 31% and 32% respectively of respondents saying they had only used the technology for these processes ‘once in a while’.

Jane Frost, chief executive at MRS, said: “Since it burst onto the scene two years ago, there has been intense conversation around how generative AI might transform research and insight – for better and for worse. 

“As with many previous innovations, research and marketing professionals have been among the first to grasp the opportunity to experiment with the technology, leveraging the sector’s long-standing experience with machine learning, and begin to properly understand the value it can bring to their work. 

“This report is intended to support practitioners as they continue to develop this understanding, providing them with a set of clear guiding principles to ensure they can continue to adopt AI effectively and ethically, to increase the quality and impact of research and insights.”

Rose Tomlins, head of brand and customer insight at Virgin Money, added: “To move forward as an industry, we have a shared responsibility to create an environment where experimentation is encouraged, rather than made to feel like a risky jump into the unknown. 

“The guiding principles in this paper provide us all with a framework to help keep us grounded and engaged even when progress feels far from linear. Rather than feeling frustrated by the immediate challenges and limitations, I hope we can remind ourselves that our industry has an incredible track record when we decide to embrace innovation and play the long game.”

Download the free report Adoption & Integration: AI Where are we now?