The new insights investment playbook: Technology, AI and connected learnings

The insights landscape is shifting. Fast.

Data from our 2025 Connected Insights Imperative report, an annual research initiative designed to help businesses bridge the gaps between consumer research and business action, reveals companies are investing heavily in AI and technology. In fact, 44% of respondents’ companies have hired for new roles in AI or data integration this year. 

Here’s a deeper look into exactly where organizations are investing time and budget today and the impact this has on the insights function.

TL;DR: 

• 70% share that technology is now used frequently for consumer insights at their company 

• Technology usage is highest among companies with connected insights

• Insights professionals are the group most likely to believe that AI is important for consumer insights

• Those with connected insights believe more strongly in the power of AI, with 42% of connected companies strongly agreeing that AI is very important for consumer insights

• Hiring for new roles in AI topped the list of investments companies made in the last year to improve consumer insights capabilities

Starting with the overall picture, we found that 7 out of 10 respondents stated that technology is now used frequently for consumer insights at their company.

This clearly indicates that its use in insights is mainstream.

That said, it’s important to note that companies that connect their insights are more likely to use technology for insights (82%) than their disconnected (68%) and fragmented (69%) counterparts.

True connected insights can only be achieved with technology to enable integrated and continuous access to consumer data, so this correlation makes sense.  

Given the importance of AI and technology, it’s no surprise that hiring for new roles in AI topped the list of investments companies made in the last year to improve consumer insights capabilities.

Only 1 in 5 (19%) shared they made no changes in the past year.  

Those with connected insights also believe more strongly in the power of AI than their fragmented or disconnected counterparts.

In fact, 42% of connected companies strongly agree that AI is very important for consumer insights, indicating that this group is more tech-savvy than companies with disconnected or fragmented data. They are the ones leading the industry and adopting new technologies to better leverage consumer insights.

Finally, we also found that insights professionals are the group most likely to believe that AI is important for consumer insights (83%), with brand management and marketing to follow.

This is especially important for any company with a CEO who is driving an AI agenda. They will have strong supporters and partnership from their consumer insights teams internally.

These findings show a clear shift in how organizations are choosing to strengthen their insights capabilities. 

With 70% now using technology frequently for consumer insights (and adoption highest among connected organizations) the industry is moving beyond traditional research toward more automated, intelligent systems. Insights professionals are leading this transformation, with many viewing AI as essential to their future impact. And companies are putting real investment behind that belief, hiring for new AI-focused roles more than any other area this year. 

Ultimately, the organizations that connect their insights and embrace AI are not just more efficient — they’re the ones building an insights function that can truly influence business decisions and fuel growth.