User research has traditionally faced a tradeoff between scale and quality. Teams opted for unmoderated mass surveys for quick insights or labor-intensive moderated interviews for deeper understanding. However, AI advancements are bridging this gap, enabling high-quality qualitative interviews akin to surveys in speed and scale. This allows for increased efficiency without bottlenecks from scheduling or resource constraints.
Startups have a rich opportunity in creating AI-native user research tools as modern organizations increasingly distribute research responsibilities. Buyers view AI as both a means to replace labor and augment existing workflows, leading to more frequent research cycles. The ideal AI platforms will facilitate participant recruitment, utilize dynamic scripting for interviews, generate actionable insights automatically, and comply with enterprise governance standards. The shift towards AI-native solutions promises significant growth in the user research market, which has already been validated by investor interest. Major players in traditional user research have set the stage for an AI-driven transformation.
Source link
