By, Novema Pte Ltd
May 2026
In 2026, the consumer insight industry has become more organised in its use of AI, with around 60% of firms now having a dedicated person or department responsible for AI policies, compared with approximately 40% in 2024.
AI usage has increased across a wide range of applications, but the strongest growth since 2024 has been in research design, analytical applications, competitor intelligence, and chatbot moderators. Looking ahead, the greatest expected growth areas are AI-powered survey quality checks, predictive modelling, advanced analytics (such as using historical data for forecasting), and the development of research stimuli.
The market remains highly fragmented, with approximately 40 different AI marketplace solutions adopted across only around 100 stakeholders. In addition, nearly two-thirds (65%) of organisations are already developing proprietary AI solutions, typically through in-house resources. This represents an increase from 54% in 2024.
AI’s impact on employment and talent is also becoming more widely recognised. Around 35% of stakeholders report that AI has contributed to workforce displacement, whether through reduced recruitment (23%), not replacing departing staff (21%), or redundancies (20%). There is also growing concern that junior employees are no longer being adequately trained in the core principles of market research. At the same time, suppliers are becoming increasingly aware of the commercial pressures associated with AI, particularly expectations that the technology will reduce fees, potentially offsetting savings achieved through lower staffing requirements or increased productivity.
One area of AI development that appears to have stalled is the use of synthetic data. In 2024, around half (49%) of industry stakeholders reported using synthetic data, but this has fallen to 42% in 2026. More significantly, one-third now say they are unlikely to use synthetic data in the future, representing a substantially higher rejection rate than in 2024 (19%).
Although the industry has enthusiastically adopted a range of AI technologies, half of suppliers say they intend to focus primarily on “human-led qualitative research with limited AI application.” The remainder see AI either as central to their product proposition, as a tool supporting a more consultancy-led agency model, or as an extension into creative development. Notably, most suppliers continue to position the human researcher at the centre of their offering, presenting AI as a support tool and emphasising human oversight throughout all stages of the project cycle.
However, a significant segment of the market is positioning itself more heavily around AI capabilities. These suppliers are emphasising the reliability of their AI models, developing specialist AI applications tailored to particular client sectors, or adapting AI to specific languages, cultures, and geographies, although the latter remains a relatively small niche within the market.
