The Exchange

132 - The AI Shift No One Saw Coming: From Software to Services

The research and CX industry is at a crossroads. Traditional platforms are struggling under debt while AI deployment is reshaping how enterprises buy and use analytics tools. This episode explores what happens when private equity leverage meets the need for transformational AI investment, why major vendors are hiring armies of engineers instead of just selling software, and how market research is evolving from static reports to always-on data infrastructure. Plus: the case for AI-moderated interviews, and why your insights might soon find you in Slack rather than waiting in a dashboard you never open

131 - The Real Story Behind AI’s Rapid Takeover of Research

IIEX North America proved to be more than just another conference: it was a turning point showcasing real AI deployments in action, from synthetic sampling to AI-moderated calls. The energy on the floor reflected what's happening across the industry: massive funding rounds, strategic M&A combining behavioral and conversational data, and a fundamental shift from insights-as-service to insights-as-infrastructure. Meanwhile, data quality has moved from technical concern to boardroom priority, with new approaches to fraud detection and verification gaining traction. The team also covered upcoming IIEX events, product launches, and why the GRIT report is making waves.

130 - When Consumer Behavior Moves Faster Than Your Business Model

AI is reshaping the insights industry faster than anyone expected. This week: a wave of well-funded analytics startups, infrastructure plays that signal where the real value is moving, and consumer behavior shifts that are forcing legacy players to adapt or risk irrelevance. Karen Lynch [https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenmlynch/] and Lenny Murphy [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonardfmurphy/] break down why today's M&A looks nothing like past cycles, what happens when vendors lean too hard on AI messaging, and which product launches actually matter.

129 - Smarter Data Wins: Following the Money in AI and Insights

The insights industry is being reshaped by AI and capital flows that prioritize smarter data over bigger data. This episode explores how companies are embedding expert knowledge into enterprise workflows, why users are still experimenting across multiple AI products, and what major acquisitions and partnerships signal about the future of research tech stacks. From AI interviewers to predictive behavior partnerships with cloud giants, the conversation traces how AI is moving from experimental tools to core infrastructure while highlighting a persistent gap between insider enthusiasm and consumer adoption.

128 - When AI Models Go Rogue and Subscriptions Go Through the Roof

The insights industry is in the middle of a land grab. Vendors are racing to own entire workflows, not just sell you tools. Meanwhile, Anthropic's AI model got so good at hacking that they had to shut it down, subscription prices are climbing so fast that smaller companies might get priced out entirely, and data security is proving to be a never-ending battle that requires actual humans watching it full-time. Oh, and everyone's trying to turn their data into a revenue stream now. Welcome to the new normal.