- May 12, 2025
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The AI Choice: When to Innovate and When to Hold Steady
In market research, there’s always a choice. Traditional or innovative? Familiar or forward-thinking?
The temptation to lean into what’s new, especially these days when it’s AI-powered, can be strong. But innovation for innovation’s sake rarely serves anyone well. The real value comes from knowing when technology will truly create outcomes that matter.
At Sparq Intelligence, we think a lot about that balance. We’re proud of the advanced tools and research approaches we offer, but more than anything, we see ourselves as stewards, not salespeople, of AI-driven research.
That means guiding our clients toward the solutions that best fit their needs, and sometimes, guiding them away from ones that don’t. That can also mean guiding them away from what we do.
Not long ago, I spoke with someone who reached out after finding us online. He was intrigued by digital twins (Prediction). He had heard the term, was curious, and wanted to learn more. As we talked, though, it became clear that his real need wasn’t a model. What he needed was speed, flexibility, and something that could plug right into his existing plan. Our Connection offering was a much better fit. It gave him a way to experience AI-powered insight without overhauling everything, a thoughtful starting point, not a giant leap.
Another time, a client came to us looking for synthetic data. We explored her goals and quickly realized that her research required something we simply don’t offer. So, I connected her with a few other firms that might be a better match. We didn’t force a fit or try to retrofit our solution to her problem. That’s not how we work, and it’s not how we hope others in the industry work, either.
Because doing right by clients means more than checking boxes or chasing trends. It means asking: Does this serve your goals? Is this the right tool for the job? Are we setting you up for success? In turn, does this help you do the same for your stakeholders?
Of course, there’s an understandable desire to “do something with AI.” But it has to be the right something, at the right time, for the right reasons. When we lead with curiosity and integrity, not just capability, we put ourselves in the best position to do work that actually matters.
And, at the end of the day, that’s what this is all about: smart decisions, grounded in real needs, that move everyone forward.
Join our LinkedIn live event on May 15th at 12pm ET to unpack where AI adds real value and where it can lead us astray if we’re not careful.
