Are we moving quickly for the right reasons?

AI is transforming the research landscape, accelerating workflows and raising expectations around speed. But while organizations are demanding insights faster than ever, an important question remains: are we moving quickly for the right reasons? 

During our recent webinar, industry experts David Penhearow, our Client Solutions Director, Louise McLaren, Managing Director at Love Brands and George Lluberes, Senior Research Director at Hanover Research, explored how client expectations are changing, where AI is adding value and what the future of research partnerships looks like. Here are five key takeaways from the discussion. 

1. Clients aren't buying speed, they're buying confidence

While faster turnaround times are increasingly expected, the panel agreed that speed itself isn't what clients value most. What they're really seeking is confidence in their decision-making. 

As organizations face increasing pressure to identify growth opportunities, respond to market changes and make strategic decisions quickly, research is becoming less about producing reports and more about enabling action. 

"I don't think clients come to us to buy speed in and of itself. They want to buy confidence." – George Lluberes 

2. AI is changing research workflows, but not the need for human judgement 

AI is helping researchers work more efficiently by accelerating tasks such as searching, summarizing and synthesizing information. However, the panel cautioned against viewing AI as a replacement for expertise. 

While technology can generate outputs quickly, researchers still play a critical role in validating findings, applying context and identifying what matters most. 

As Louise McLaren noted, there is a risk of accepting AI-generated outputs at face value without applying sufficient scrutiny and critical thinking. 

3. Faster doesn't always mean better 

One of the strongest themes to emerge from the discussion was the importance of understanding the trade-offs between speed, rigour and risk. 

Not every business decision requires the same level of research depth. However, for high-stakes decisions, the consequences of getting it wrong can far outweigh the benefits of moving quickly. 

"What is the cost of being wrong?" – George Lluberes 

The panel encouraged research leaders to think carefully about where speed creates value and where additional time for collaboration, validation and strategic thinking may lead to better outcomes. 

4. Expertise is becoming more valuable as information becomes more accessible 

As AI makes information easier to obtain, differentiation is shifting away from access to data and toward interpretation. 

The ability to identify the most important findings, challenge assumptions and translate evidence into meaningful business recommendations is becoming increasingly valuable. 

The panel agreed that AI can help researchers get up to speed more quickly on new sectors and topics, but true insight still comes from experience, judgement and a deep understanding of business context.

5. The future of research partnerships is advisory 

The traditional client-agency relationship is evolving. As more organizations bring capabilities in-house and technology automates elements of the research process, external partners must provide value beyond execution. 

The panel believes the future belongs to research partners who act as strategic advisors—bringing objectivity, challenging briefs and helping clients make better decisions. 

Rather than simply delivering projects, successful partners will be those who help organizations frame the right questions, navigate uncertainty and confidently act on the insights generated. 

Looking ahead 

The discussion made one thing clear: the future of research is not a choice between speed and quality. 

The most successful organizations will be those that use technology to improve efficiency while maintaining the human judgement, critical thinking and strategic perspective needed to make confident decisions. 

As AI continues to reshape the industry, the challenge for researchers is not simply to deliver insights faster, but to ensure those insights lead to better outcomes.

Missed the webinar? 

Watch the recording here or get in touch with a member of our team to continue the conversation.