Every year, I attend the Insight Association’s Corporate Researcher’s Conference hoping for inspiration. This year’s CRC didn’t just inspire, it illuminated the path forward for our entire industry. As I walked through the sessions and networking spaces, one thing became crystal clear: we’re not just talking about AI anymore; we’re living in its reality.
For the past few years, the CRC has centered around AI, but this year felt different. The conversations weren’t theoretical anymore. The “what if” had become “how fast” and “which areas first.” Walking the conference halls, I witnessed an industry in transition suppliers and buyers alike sharing their real-world AI implementations, not just their aspirations.
I always to these events hoping for inspiration. Therefore, I would like to acknowledge several presentations that influenced my perspective:
Microsoft and Outset.ai: When AI Makes Things More Human
The most counterintuitive presentation came from Microsoft and Outset.ai: “How Microsoft Makes its AI Products Feel More Human.” As someone who’s always paid the same incentive regardless of effort level, their merit-based incentive system stopped me in my tracks.
They demonstrated how AI asynchronous probing could enhance responses through intelligent incentive structures. The better a participant’s attempt, the more effort they invested, the higher their reward. The result? Three times the content volume compared to traditional non-AI moderated forums.
Synthetic Data: Innovation or Illusion
This panel delivered an “aha” moment. The answer to whether synthetic data is trustworthy isn’t “yes” or “no, it’s “what temperature are you using?”
An AI’s temperature setting determines creativity levels in generated text. Higher temperature equals more variability and creativity; lower temperature delivers more consistent, predictable output.
My recommendation? Hiring a young professional with expertise in AI who can act as a reverse mentor to your staff as you consider the possibilities of synthetic data for your firm.
As I reflected on the conference experience, one insight crystallized: we’re witnessing the birth of a leaner, more efficient insights industry. The demand for our services isn’t disappearing, it’s intensifying. But the pressure for speed is forcing us to evolve… or become irrelevant.
Walking out of CRC, I was reminded of that increasingly relevant expression: “AI is not going to take your job, the person who knows how to use AI will take your job.”
The tipping point feels close, somewhere in the next two to three years. The suppliers presenting weren’t talking about future possibilities; they were sharing current implementations. The buyers weren’t asking “if” but “how fast can we scale this?”
The future belongs to those who can blend human wisdom with artificial intelligence. After three days at CRC, I’m more convinced than ever that this blend isn’t just possible—it’s inevitable.