In a rapidly evolving digital economy, speed, scale and strategic clarity are paramount, so the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in market research is no longer speculative and transformative. This was the central theme of the latest webinar hosted by Indian Market Research Association (MRSI) Above June 25th, 2025,title “The future is AI. It will revolutionize market research for tomorrow's insight.”
Moderated by Thunder Muchuramanan independent consultant in marketing measurement, the session featured compelling insights from two industry leaders. Vara PrasadVice President – Head of Insights and Analytics at ITC Foods, and Crisinendu DuttaPractical Leads – Ipsos India's innovation, understanding and client advisory.
AI: Rethinking research using ITC Foods experience
Vara Prasad has launched discussions by simulating the evolution of AI within market research capabilities, from iterative processes of manuals to intelligent systems that provide context-rich insights in real time. in ITC FoodAI is deeply integrated into the insights ecosystem, facilitating everything from hearing sentiment analysis and product concept generation and predictive performance tracking.
By leveraging AI tools, ITC can mine large amounts of consumer data from public sources, detect emerging trends, and build internal dashboards that support faster business decisions. “The real value of AI lies in how well it is trained in the context.” Prasad pointed out. “When done correctly, it moves beyond automation and becomes a strategic engine of innovation.”
Ipsos '' facto': Playground for AI experiments
In addition to the story, Krishnendu Dutta provided the practitioner's lens on how AI is enhancing and replacing the role of human researchers. He acknowledged the first sense of research facing many researchers amid a flood of AI tools, and introduced the in-house AI sandbox of Ipsos India, effectively. This is a safe environment designed for daily experiments.
Facts support a variety of research tasks including transcription, translation, insight extraction, topline generation, and ideas, greatly increasing productivity and creative potential. More importantly, it serves as a training ground where researchers can learn to navigate both analytical and generated AI, and uses domain-specific data to create relevant results.
The highlight of Dutta's presentation was Ipsos' work in the development of Agent Persona. It is a dynamic consumer profile generated in AI that allows you to interact with stakeholders through natural language, offering a futuristic alternative to traditional segmentation decks. He also added small data sets, widened research gaps, and highlighted the increased use of synthetic data to extend the lifespan of traditional methodologies.
“AI is not going to replace researchers.” Dutta insisted. “But researchers who use AI effectively replace those who don't. That's being an enabler in the world that drives AI.”
Big Picture: Human + Machine = Future-Ready Insights
The conversation emphasized shared beliefs. AI is not just a technical upgrade, it's a strategic order. However, its effectiveness depends heavily on the quality of the contextual input and the guidance of skilled researchers. When aligned, AI and human expertise can unleash the unprecedented depth, agility, and foresight of the insight industry.
From automating boring tasks to generating whole new research assets, the webinar demonstrated that AI redefines the rules of engagement in market research and positions it as a proactive, real-time driver of business strategies.
As the Indian ecosystem of insights embraces this transformation, forums like MRSI continue to offer valuable thought leadership and helps experts navigate the intersection of technology, strategy and consumer understanding.
