Why qualitative market research is important in the age of AI

Our Managing Director Ines Imdahl is one of the best-known and most recognized qualitative researchers in Germany. Last year, planung&analyse asked her to write an article on the future of qualitative market research. The result is a fiery plea that is still as relevant as ever.

Does qualitative research have a future? Don't Google, ChatGPT and AI already know everything?

I was recently asked this very question at an event by the manager of a music band. “You still interview customers directly? Isn't that completely old school?” Like other companies, managers have a lot of data at their disposal. He knows exactly how many people buy which of his band's songs, how many are streamed or how many see the “product” live. However, they cannot recognize any meaningful correlation in the large amounts of data. And above all, he cannot develop any deductions or good forecasts that would make his decisions for future activities more accurate. And here, he admits, it would be good to ask people directly. “When do you prefer to see the band live? Why is that? Why do you stream a single song all day? And why do you buy this album but not that one?” Simple questions about liking certain songs, for example, do not provide conclusive explanations for sales, concert attendance or streaming.

Continue reading here the exciting article.