Article
Research Agent: transforming qualitative research with AI
Qualitative research allows us to go beyond raw numbers, revealing the motivations and emotions underlying consumer decisions. This comes at a cost: compared to quantitative approaches, organizing in-depth interviews is both more time and more resource intensive. And it requires the simultaneous availability of both the researcher and the respondent, a single moderator can only conduct a limited number of interviews per day, even online.
The introduction of Research Agent begins to shift this paradigm. The solution is powered by large language models (LLMs) that can effectively replace the human moderator in in-depth interviews, enabling faster and cheaper-than-ever access to consumer insights.
The Role of Virtual Moderation
A virtual moderator is particularly effective in situations that are more complex with traditional qualitative methods, such as where rapid access to insights is required, or when gathering a broad range of opinions on a given topic.
Powered by LLMs, the virtual moderator replicates the core capabilities of experienced qualitative researchers. In conversation, it follows the respondent by paraphrasing, clarifying ambiguities and probing for deeper understanding. The system operates in line with established qualitative research standards, responding dynamically to what the respondent says without suggesting answers, evaluating respondents or expressing opinions.
Research Agent ensures that every interview is conducted according to the same standard, eliminating the influence of so-called "human factors", such as personal biases, prior experiences, fatigue or changes in mood. The perceived barrier between the respondent and the machine is removed via natural language interaction but, at the same time, the awareness of the respondent that they are speaking with a bot increases the sense of anonymity and reduces the fear of being judged.
A Familiar Format
Interactions with Research Agent take place through a conversational interface that closely resembles texting or messaging on social media, thereby mirroring the way billions of people communicate every day.
The written format enables accurate analysis of respondents' answers and allows participation for individuals with limitations in verbal communication. Crucially, it also means that a full transcript of the interview is available instantly after completion.
Instant Insights
By removing the constraints associated with human-led fieldwork, Research Agent significantly shortens the entire research process, reduces costs and enables the collection of much larger volumes of data. This gives brands easier access to knowledge that helps make decisions and reduces risk.
Processes that once took weeks can now be completed in just a few days at a significantly greater scale and a fraction of the cost.
The Power of Amazon Web Services
Research Agent leverages AWS Bedrock to deliver deep insights in real-time, built directly into a secure AWS infrastructure. Amazon RDS provides reliable data management, backed by IAM controls and encryption services to ensure data security and reliability. Fully automated deployment makes it easy to scale and adapt across new regional markets.