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Kelly McKnight

Executive Director at VERVE

Kelly is an award-winning insight leader specializing in the integration of Artificial, Cultural, and Human Intelligence to deliver deeper, more actionable insights. At Verve, she has played a key role in pioneering AI-powered Intelligent Personas (VIPs), combining high-quality proprietary data with generative AI to redefine audience understanding. With an extensive background in market research, she has worked with leading global brands to develop and deploy innovative approaches that blend technology with human expertise. Kelly has bold views on the future of research and isn’t afraid to challenge the status quo - championing smarter, faster, and more ethical ways to unlock insight.

VERVE

Come Fly with Me! Why Simulations Leave Synthetic Behind

5 min read

7 January

in Hot Topics

by Kelly McKnight

We’ve discussed simulations for insights over three years. People ask what simulations are, how they differ from synthetic data, and why it matters for better decisions. Let's clarify.

Popular

Avoiding the Coldplay Effect: Why Cultural Intelligence Matters in the Age of AI

6 min read

16 July 2025

in Innovations

by Kelly McKnight

AI will always trend towards the middle. Cultural intelligence is your unfair advantage. Insight should provoke, not pacify. It should rebel, not regress. That’s how you avoid the Coldplay Effect.