Ben is joined by Maria Rosala from Nielsen Norman Group and John Whalen from Brilliant Experience to wrap up 2025 and make some predictions for 2026. Maria and John share practical insights on everything from AI moderation tools to synthetic users, offering a balanced view of where these technologies excel and where human researchers remain irreplaceable.
Maria and John also dig into the democratization of research across product teams, the importance of governance and strategy when implementing AI tools, and how researchers can position themselves as orchestrators of both human and artificial intelligence.
Highlights
- 08:22 AI tools creating pressure for faster delivery
- 17:18 Governance and oversight for AI implementation
- 24:55 Composite and synthetic users explained
- 41:56 Hiring advice for new researchers
- 44:27 Demonstrating AI proficiency in job applications
- 49:25 Research industry predictions for 2026
Resources
