AI Trends and Insights
To capture the evolving world of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Esomar launched a survey in October of last year to understand its usage and integration across organisations.
To capture the evolving world of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Esomar launched a survey in October of last year to understand its usage and integration across organisations. The survey also explored internal frameworks about the responsible use of AI and awareness of global and national AI regulations. Are you keen to participate in the next wave of this survey? Link to the survey is at the end of the article.
This briefing is based on research conducted by Esomar in October 2025, in preparation for a webinar on AI Compliance. This pilot study collected 64 responses from Esomar members and offers an early snapshot of how the research and insights industry is engaging with AI, particularly around adoption, governance, and regulatory awareness. The study identifies the themes and tensions that larger, more structured studies should explore in 2026.
The headline finding is that AI adoption in research is already widespread. Over half of respondents integrate third-party AI models, and a third develop their own. The primary uses (text and image analysis, data processing, and quality control) reflect AI's current role as a productivity tool rather than a transformative methodology. The emerging use of synthetic data and synthetic personas is noted but remains relatively niche, which aligns with the ongoing debate about validation and trustworthiness in this area.
The governance picture is more concerning. While around 60% of respondents report having some form of internal AI policy, a third lack any formal framework. On regulatory awareness, the EU AI Act, national frameworks, and ISO standards are the most commonly cited, but knowledge is patchy. Several respondents openly admitted unfamiliarity with the frameworks listed.
Client demand for AI transparency appears to be moderate. The participants in this study tended to say that clients are not yet requiring formal assurances. However, the growing requests for contractual AI clauses and workflow explanations suggest this will change.
As a pilot, this study does what it should: it maps the territory and highlights where deeper investigation is needed. The findings point clearly to the areas where larger 2026 studies can add real value for decision-makers, particularly around governance maturity, the gap between policy and practice on technical standards, synthetic data validation, and the evolving expectations of research buyers regarding AI transparency and accountability.
Contribute to the next wave of AI insights. Share how AI is being used within your organisation through the link.
Your input will help capture a snapshot of AI usage and integration across organisations as well as shape the content for the upcoming training sessions of Esomar Plus.
Ray Poynter
President at EsomarRay has spent the last 45 years at the intersection of insights, research, and new thinking. Ray has held director-level positions with companies such as The Research Business, IntelliQuest, Millward Brown, and Vision Critical. Ray is committed to the research and insights industry, having been a member of ESOMAR for over 30 years and a fellow of the MRS.
In recent years Ray’s work has focused on training, writing, speaking and sharing. Ray has run training workshops for a variety of national and international organisations, including RANZ, TRS, JMRA, MRS and ESOMAR. Ray has written textbooks, taught at Saitama and Nottingham Universities, regularly blogs, and is active on social media.
In 2023, Ray was elected President of ESOMAR.
