In its third annual analysis of career development in the market research industry, with the report called For the love of learning, MRII said job satisfaction dropped from 65% in 2024 to 59% this year.

MRII said that satisfaction was highest among those with more than 20 years in the industry and among managers, but all subgroups included in the study saw declines. 

There was a 46-point gap in satisfaction levels between those who felt they have opportunities to learn and grow in their role versus those who said they did not, the report added.

There were also mixed views on the impact of AI, with 71% believing that AI would improve their job, but half of respondents saying they were concerned about AI replacing their job, up six points on the year before.

AI usage rose 23 points year-on-year to 62% of researchers or their teams, MRII said.

Understandably, considering the concerns and hopes around AI’s impact on research, skills in AI and machine learning ( 55%) and generative AI tools ( 49%) topped the perceived training needs among respondents.

Elsewhere, 35% reported satisfaction with their opportunities for advancement, while 55% said they would recommend the insights profession to others, the latter being a four-point fall on 2024.

The results are based on a survey carried out online by MRII research partner QuestionPro, gathering 426 responses from market researchers around the world.