A study found that using AI in research firms can cause a bad reputation.

The Global Research Business Network (GRBN) recently conducted a global survey that provides insights into the trust dynamics in the market research industry, specifically about the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The poll, which included participants from a variety of countries and regions (Australia, Canada, Germany, Korea, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, the UK, and the US), shows that although there is still a general sense of confidence in market research companies, concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) use could harm the industry’s reputation.

Trust dynamics in market research

The survey has shown that an organization in the marketing research field has a trustworthiness level of +7 that has remained the same since 2022. Nevertheless, implementing AI within a research union triggers some concerns among researchers.

The market research agencies were another organization apprehensive 47% of global participants that AI application could impact their pre-existing trust in market research companies. One more striking point was that AI tool companies received the lowest levels of trust among all the groups — only 17% of the interviewees had confidence in AI tool companies. AI firms were found to have a net trust score of -19, causing distrust of the level found among broadcast media and social media companies.

Rapid deterioration of trust in data processing

according to this study, there is an erosion of reliance on the actions and behaviors of market research corporations concerning personal information. The net trust index in data corporations (going from -18 in 2022 to -23 in 2024) has been decreasing for two years already and is a sign of how ethically the data is used and of the diminishing trust in members of this sector. This decline in trust has a lot to do with the need for businesses that do market research to have ethical best practices in place to make the time that technology may grow.

Dr Andrew Cannon, GRBN’s Executive Director, underlines the mind bias of AI, and despite the existing problems, positive trends must be mentioned in the research sector. Therefore, a newfound optimism emerges from the consumer side regarding the contribution they advance through market research activities. This mode of thinking gives rise to the principle that research must inform decision-making processes in knowledge formation for all spheres of human life.

Though objections over AI integration remain, there is a chance to renew the science of priorities about ethics and, at the same time, to highlight that the very purpose of research is to develop a better knowledge base that supports evidence-based policy-making and social progress. With the help of ethical frameworks and stakeholders’ proactive involvement, marketing research organizations will know how to deal with the image of AI civilization in a world where information is increasingly fact-based.