Redefining Market Research in the AI Era

Dewi Fitriyati works as a Busines Development Head at PT Katolec Indonesia. As a resourceful marketing manager and business development specialist with over 17 years experiences in manufacture various industries, she has proven record of success in maintaining customer satisfactions, working closely with executive team to set up marketing strategies, making projected sales targets, analysis revenue forecast and managing the performance of junior marketing team. She is fully responsible for identifying new business opportunities, building relationships with potential clients and also driving revenue growth.

Turning Market Research into a Strategic Habit

One of the most common misconceptions business leaders still hold is that market research is only necessary before launching a product or entering a new market — a one-time activity rather than an ongoing process. But in reality, modern market research is powered by real-time analytics, social listening and agile testing.

It is strategic, iterative and essential for staying aligned with rapidly shifting customer expectations. Leaders who treat it as a continuous compass, not a one-time map, tend to adapt faster and make more informed decisions. It still persists might be because of legacy thinking, data overconfidence, pressure for speed and budget priorities.

The Discipline Behind Sound Decision-Making

Distinguishing Signal from Noise in Market Research.

Not all research findings deserve equal weight. The challenge is determining which insights truly matter (signal) versus which are distractions or statistical coincidences (noise). A true Signal survives multiple filters like Relevance to the Core Question, Consistency Across Sources, Statistical and Practical Significance, Temporal Stability and Contextual Fit and Logic. Noise often fails on one or more of these — it may look interesting in isolation but doesn’t change what you’d actually do next.

Blending Machine Intelligence with Human Insight

AI has revolutionized how quickly we can gather, analyse and forecast from data. Yet, even as machines master synthesis at scale, certain parts of the research process must remain human by design, because they rely on judgment, empathy and context that no algorithm can replicate.

AI is transforming how we research faster, broader, smarter. But the heart of research is asking, interpreting, judging and deciding — remains irreducibly human.

If there’s one habit I’d urge every strategy leader to build, treat market research as a continuous conversation, not a periodic report. The best leaders know the market never stands still and neither should their understanding of it. The real value of research isn’t in the data itself, but in the discipline of curiosity it builds.