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Key Takeaways from MRS’ AI: Powering Up Insights 2025 Conference
In conversation with Hasdeep Sethi, Director of Data Sciences at STRAT7 Bonamy Finch
The MRS AI conference in London (23rd January 2025) brought together experts from the insights and research industry to discuss how artificial intelligence is shaping the future of research, where it’s headed and what we can expect in the months ahead. With contributions from AI specialists, data scientists, and industry thought leaders, the event explored key developments in AI-driven insights, synthetic data, and the evolving role of researchers in an increasingly automated world.
Hasdeep Sethi
Data Science Director and AI Lead at STRAT7
Hasdeep Sethi, Director of Data Science at STRAT7 Bonamy Finch, and a panellist on the day, shares his key takeaways and insights from the event.
How did you find MRS’ AI: Powering Up Insights 2025 Conference?
I really enjoyed it. It wasn’t just the usual hype around AI. It felt very grounded, very real. That was the biggest takeaway for me. Everyone was openly discussing both the amazing things AI is doing and, crucially, where it’s still falling short. We talked a lot about the transformative potential of synthetic data and synthetic media such as AI-generated videos. But we also acknowledged the challenges around scaling these up and the costs involved. It felt like a shared exploration, everyone trying to figure out the best way forward.
What were your 5 key takeaways from the conference?
1. Use cases are evolving:
We’re moving beyond just automating basic tasks like coding open ends and summarising transcripts. That’s still important, of course. AI is great for that, but the real value is in the higher-level use cases. Concept ideation was a hot topic – using AI to spark new ideas and push creative boundaries. And everyone wants to find a way to mine the ‘gold’ in their existing data – after all, we all have terabytes of it sitting somewhere within our organisations. AI can help us unlock its true potential.2. Chatbots are getting smarter:
With the rise of synthetic data, there’s a growing acceptance of chatbots trained on real market research data. But it’s a cautious acceptance. Cost is a driver but AI is still quite new. We’re only just getting used to it. As adoption increases, we will expect more and more from it. For example, we want chatbots that understand our specific business, our customer segments, our brand, so we can improve efficiency or make smarter decisions more quickly.3. The future is exciting (and a little uncertain):
I’m excited about the potential to automate all the tedious parts of market research. Imagine a world where we spend 80% of our time on strategic thinking! But there’s also a lot of uncertainty. The pace of change is incredible. New AI models are popping up all the time, like DeepSeek (announced post conference). It remains to be seen whether or not that will be a real game-changer but clearly we need to keep building a culture of experimentation and shared learning.4. Multimodal AI and AI agents are on the horizon:
It’s clear that we’re now beginning to move beyond text. Voice interaction – talking to AI – is going to be huge. And visual media, like video avatars, are becoming more common. Then there are AI agents which can autonomously gather information and complete tasks. It’s still early days, but the potential is enormous.5. Market researchers are adapting:
The conference didn’t go into huge detail about this, but I think the role of researchers is going to change dramatically. Prompt engineering is now an essential skill, figuring out how to get the best responses out of these chatbots. And making sure that we do in a responsible, ethical way. As AI handles the more routine stuff, we’ll have more time for strategic and creative thinking – both on the client side and within agencies.Any final thoughts?
The MRS AI conference left me feeling energised and optimistic, but also with a healthy dose of realism!
The potential of AI to disrupt and transform market research is undeniable. We’re not just talking about incremental improvements. This is a fundamental shift in how we approach research. The ability to automate tedious tasks, to analyse vast datasets in real-time, to generate new insights… it’s all incredibly exciting.
But we also must be mindful of the challenges. User adoption is crucial. We need to help our teams understand the power of these tools and how to use them effectively. Ethical considerations are paramount.
And, of course, the technology itself is constantly evolving. We need to be adaptable, keep learning, and to stay on top of the latest developments. No-one really knows where we will end-up but the next few years (even months!) are going to be fascinating. It’s a time of great opportunity!
Find out more
If you’d like to discuss adding the STRAT7 segment chatbot to your insights toolbox get in touch, or email me directly:
Hasdeep Sethi
Data Science Director & STRAT7 AI Lead
STRAT7 Bonamy Finch
hasdeep.sethi@bonamyfinch.com
