The biggest challenge has been navigating the tension between bold innovation and established ways of working. Bringing AI into the research space, especially with BoltChatAI, meant not just building new tools but shifting mindsets. Gaining trust, especially when disrupting traditional models, requires resilience, clarity of purpose, and collaboration between agency and clients teams. It is a huge lift and we needed to stay strong in believing the value of bringing a different expertise (industry focused in a tech world) while pushing the industry forward, still staying humble and learning through the journey. 

This is already happening, but the next big shift will be the rise of pervasive, real-time insights, driven by agentic AI that doesn’t just analyse data, but actively drives decision-making. We’re moving toward a world where AI-powered research agents will continuously surface insights, test hypotheses and even prompt action autonomously. This will fundamentally change the role of research: from a reactive, project-based function to an always-on strategic partner embedded in every business decision. At BoltChatAI, we’re already seeing how this changes how teams operate, making insight generation faster, more dynamic and more inclusive. It’s a transformation that will redefine the very pace and shape of innovation. 

I’m inspired by those who dare to challenge conventions with integrity and heart. That includes researchers who put humans, not just data, at the centre of decision-making and who create space for consumer voices to be heard. Personally, I’m also deeply grateful to the researchers/insight professional mentors who’ve believed in me; their support gave me the confidence to try to build something new.  

• The full MRS Research Heroes list for 2025 can be found here.