Skepticism, air cover, and the new playbook for insights teams

Curiosity got faster—and a lot more practical. We sit down with Tim Lawton of SightX and Russell Evans of ZS to unpack a partnership that blends expert humans with integrated AI to rethink how insights teams generate ideas, validate concepts, and influence big bets. No bolt-ons, no buzzwords—just a clearer path from question to decision. We start with the reality that researchers live under a microscope, then show how automation can remove the drudgery without losing the judgment that matters. Tim explains how SightX streamlines end-to-end survey workflows, analytics, and dashboards so small teams can do more with less. Russell shares why ZS sought a partner that treats AI as the core engine, not a layer, and how the combo is helping brands compress months of work into weeks while improving the odds of success. You’ll hear a concrete CPG case where data-driven concept generation plus rapid, integrated validation shaved time and lifted purchase intent by 29% in a human-in-the-loop process. We break down what separates pilot purgatory from real adoption: leadership “air cover,” incentives that reward experimentation, and new roles that scan the market and align tools to strategy. We also get candid about risk, governance, and where AI belongs in the stack—use it where it accelerates insight and keeps humans focused on meaning and action. We close with a sharp take on synthetic data: explore it for low-stakes ideation, but mine real, underused signals first—reviews, long-form social, and contact center data—when the decision matters. If you’re ready to scale consumer insights, speed up concept testing, and make better calls with AI you can trust, hit play and tell us where you want to move faster next. Subscribe, share with a teammate who needs air cover, and leave a review to help others find the conversation.