Rival Group's 2026 Market Research Trends Report Covers AI in Insights, Synthetic Respondents, Evolving Qualitative Research and More

Ninety percent of market researchers are excited for AI-assisted reporting and more than 46% expect their budget for AI tools to increase, among other key findings for the insights industry

VANCOUVER, BC, Dec. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Rival Group, the leader in AI-accelerated conversational research, today released "Market Research Trends 2026: 7 Ways Insight Teams are Redefining Quality, Connection and Impact in the Age of AI." This new paper brings together perspectives from experts across the industry, plus data from an original study conducted on Rival's conversational research platform. This, along with information from industry benchmarking reports, comes together to help researchers understand what's changing and what to prioritize in the year ahead.

"In 2026, AI will continue to transform the way researchers and marketers reach, engage and activate their customers," said Paula Catoira, CMO of Rival Group. "As things change, the brands that invest in creating more meaningful consumer relationships and use insights to deliver value and build trust in the market will win."

The report focuses on seven trend areas:

• AI moves from hype to habit: Teams are automating more everyday tasks while redefining where human interpretation matters most. Rival Technologies data shows that 64.1% of researchers increased the number of AI tools they use in 2025.
  
  
• The "quantification of qual": New AI tools amplify depth in open-ends and streamline analysis, making qualitative insights more scalable. Conversational methods generate responses 2.5x longer than traditional surveys, and adding video and AI-driven probes increases depth up to 8x.
  
  
• Implicit and emotional methods grow: Researchers are turning to techniques that capture instinctive, gut-level reactions that traditional surveys often miss.
  
  
• Classic methods get a modern refresh: Segmentation, ethnography and journey work return, supported by more agile, mobile-first execution.
  
  
• Synthetic respondents spark debate: New studies show both their promise and their limits as a complement to, not replacement for, primary research. An original Rival study found mixed sentiment, with 42.75% "not excited" about using synthetic respondents.
  
  
• Consumer closeness becomes a differentiator: Communities and conversational approaches help teams strengthen trust, engagement and data quality. This aligns with findings showing 72.5% of researchers believe the industry is making a positive impact.
  
  
• Experimentation becomes a core skill: The most effective teams treat small tests, pilots and learning loops as standard practice. Rival data shows 46.2% expect their AI budgets to grow next year, reinforcing this shift.

"Market research trends 2026: 7 ways insight teams are redefining quality, connection and impact in the age of AI" is available here: www.rivaltech.com/market-research-trends-2026

About Rival Group
Rival Group is one of North America's largest independent research companies. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, with offices across North America, Rival Group uniquely combines proprietary research technology, certified panels, and expert consultancy. The company delivers faster, more authentic and actionable insights to over 500 clients across industries including technology, finance, consumer goods, media & entertainment, health and public affairs by redefining how organizations connect with people. Two of its operating companies, Rival Technologies and Reach3 Insights, earned spots on Greenbook's 2025 GRIT Top 10 Most Innovative Suppliers list after making the Top 50 list six years in a row.

Media contact: Marie Melsheimer, +1-541-815-3951, [email protected]

SOURCE Rival Group