AI, ethics, and storytelling: Navigating the next era of insights

The insights industry is rapidly evolving, and will continue to do so throughout 2025, fuelled by a combination of AI, ethical and quality concerns. Researchers face mounting pressure to stay competitive and deliver actionable insights while AI starts to take over automating tasks such as data collection and analysis. However, this technological advancement comes with its own challenges around trust, data quality, compliance and constant training of teams for AI capabilities. While at the same time, the human connection delivered through goodstorytelling becomes ever-more important. In this article, global insights experts from the Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research (WIN) explore how preparations for these changes are being made in 2025, the increasing value of human insights, and the importance of ethical practices when integrating AI.

Beyond the AI hype: From efficiency to ethics in insights

For the rest of 2025, experts from WIN foresee the global insights industry driven by transformative trends, with AI-powered insights and automation spearheading some realchanges to researchers’ day-to-day. 

Estefania Clavero, Senior Partner at Instituto DY in Spain, is optimistic that AI-powered tools can “open new avenues for research” through “real-time insights to stay competitive, and AI can automate processes like data cleaning, analysis, and reporting… also help identify patterns in unstructured data, such as images, videos, or text”.

As businesses demand real-time analytics, AI will assist in creating surveys, discussion guides, and summaries, reducing manual effort while enhancing efficiency. Karin Nelsson, Managing Partner at Demoskop, Sweden, states: “Real-time analytics is becoming the industry standard… revolutionizing qualitative research analysis. This allows researchers to focus on strategic interpretation and recommendations rather than routine tasks. The key isn't replacing human expertise but… enabling faster, more accurate, and more comprehensive insights generation while maintaining the human element of strategic thinking and industry expertise.”

However, the rise of AI isn't without its challenges. While it enhances internal research processes, Constanza Cilley, Executive Director of Voices, Argentina, cautions: “AI will bring new and very different players to the table. We will need to update our competitive intelligence knowledge and rethink our credentials from scratch.”

In addition to this, concerns around trust and data quality have also been mounting. “As data collection technologies evolve, concerns about privacy and ethics will intensify.” continues Xavier Depouilly, the General Manager at Indochina Research, Vietnam, “Companies will need to adopt AI solutions that prioritize transparency, and compliance with national and global data regulations.”

While the industry gets excited by AI, real client concerns around trust and data quality remain a critical counterbalance. Their primary focus is on panel quality and the reliability of data, pushing for greater transparency and accountability in AI-driven research.

Sustainability at the forefront

As businesses aim to stay competitive, insights into ethical consumption patterns and sustainable preferences will become critical for strategy development.

“Sustainability will take center stage” says Urpi Torrado, CEO at Datum International, Peru, “with a focus on measuring social and environmental impact, aligning with the values of conscious consumers.”

Xavier Depouilly agrees, “Consumers are prioritizing sustainability, pushing businesses to align their strategies with environmental and social values. Insights into ethical consumption patterns and sustainable product preferences will be essential for staying competitive.”

Future-proofing research teams

To get ready for these ever-evolving challenges shaping the industry, insights teams mustprepare themselves to handle these changes. Researchers have been focusing on multifaceted strategies that integrates emerging technologies while upholding research integrity. 

Preparing for ethical AI implementation

Many teams are already thinking ahead, such as Xavier Depouilly, who explains they areemphasising on “teaching skills for data verification, interpretation, storytelling, and more strategic application of insights” as technology takes over certain analysis and day-to-day tasks through automation. Changing priorities will also have knock-on impact on projects they take on in coming years, shifting “focus on project and AI management instead of research” for new clients.

Karin Nelsson adds that in addition to investing in training, they’re “evolving theorganizational structure to be more agile, creating cross-functional teams that blend traditional research expertise with new digital capabilities. This transformation is supported by strategic partnerships with tech companies and a new Center of Excellence for AI and automation.”

Beyond advancing AI knowledge and processes, many researchers are prioritizing ethical research practices. For example, Estefania Clavero has been “strengthening ethical research practices and developing a clear framework for data privacy, ensuring compliance with global regulations like GDPR.”

To address concerns about AI's impact on data quality, researchers must take on an educational role by guiding clients through its potential risks and the importance of rigorous testing and evaluation. Building trust requires transparency to ensuring clients understand both AI’s capabilities and limitations, reducing their apprehension.

AI can’t tell the whole story: The rising value of human insights

In a tech-driven industry where researchers grapple with AI adoption, placing a premium on storytelling and human insights as essential complements to technology. “Tech is a mean, but focus will be on real, live experiences in the customer journey” says Nikos Kotoulas, Head of Marketing and Communications at BVA Doxa, Italy. 

Urpi Torrado agrees, “Technology serves as a powerful enabler, but the true value of data lies in the human ability to creatively develop and expand knowledge. As client expectations evolve, storytelling and human insights will become even more crucial in translating complex data into compelling, actionable narratives.”

As AI-driven automation streamlines data collection and processing, the demand for the strictly human ability to translate data into meaningful, actionable insights will only grow. Moving forward, researchers’ critical skills will lie in interrogating data, uncovering real insights, and providing consultative services that drive client growth. In a world where data is abundant, the ability to extract and communicate its true value will be more important than ever.

Crucially, Constanza Cilley highlights, “How we communicate findings will become more crucial than ever. We will need to understand our clients’ profile in-depth and find effective ways of communicating results.”

This synergy between technological precision and human creativity will shape the future of the insights industry, positioning successful teams as trusted advisors who bridge data with impactful decision-making.

Insights without borders: The value of industry networks

As the year progresses and pressure mounts, being part of a network becomes a vital tool for tackling challenges through collaboration, innovation, and shared expertise. The WIN network provides access to a wealth of global expertise from leading companies that may not be accessible otherwise. In a world where technology and societies are constantly changing, Constanza Cilley believes, “The honest exchange with players from all over the world is becoming more relevant than ever” for researchers to stay at the top of their game.

Being part of a network can offer opportunities to explore new technologies and best practices through workshops and training sessions, in addition to facilitating collaboration to leverage international expertise. For Estefania Clavero, being part of WIN is a great opportunity for “joint projects with other members; these can open doors to new methodologies, technologies, or markets.” She also enjoys “regular events, conferences, and forums to connect with like-minded professionals and exchange ideas.”

Karin Nelsson also adds, “It provides access to global expertise, shared technology resources, and collaborative innovation opportunities that would be difficult to achieve alone. Through WIN, we can leverage international best practices in AI implementation and data analytics while maintaining local market expertise.”

Adapting and innovating: The road ahead

As the year progresses, the global insights industry is brimming with potential for transformation and innovation. As AI continues to advance, the integration of complex technologies with human expertise is set to transform how we collect, analyse, and interpret data. Alongside these developments, the value of human insights, ethical practices, and storytelling will become increasingly important.  

A community of experts, collaboration, and partnerships has become more crucial to researchers in insights in navigating the changing landscape to seamlessly integrate human touch with the ever-evolving technology.