As AI continues to advance at a rapid pace, it’s quickly shifting from an experimental tool to a core component of business workflows – helping research teams move faster without compromising on depth or quality.
Konovo recently hosted a webinar with BioPharma Dive which explored the cutting-edge innovations shaping the future of qualitative research in life sciences.
Hosted by Megan Billingsley, the session brought together three MR and innovation experts for a dynamic discussion: Tamara Burke (VP, Global Qualitative Solutions, Sales, Konovo), Erica Jacobsen (Senior Director and Qualitative Team Lead, Konovo) and Ken McLaren (Partner, Data and AI, Frazier Healthcare).
Together, they discussed the biggest questions we’re hearing from clients: how to adapt, where to start and what to expect next. This blog shares the main takeaways from the webinar and why now is the time to embrace AI in qualitative research to avoid being left behind the move towards faster, quality insights.
AI adoption is gaining real traction
What was once approached with hesitation is now being welcomed. From transcription and summarisation to moderation, AI is increasingly being used to enhance traditional methods, offering new ways to improve efficiency, reduce manual effort and build confidence in outputs.
Research needs to move faster—without losing impact
There’s a clear trend across pharma and healthcare towards shorter-form, more agile research. Clients are looking for quicker answers to support key decisions and AI is helping to deliver that by streamlining analysis and removing friction from longer, manual processes.
Consistency and integration remain top priorities
While AI capabilities have rapidly improved, embedding them into a business workflow takes planning and precision. Success relies on grounding models in the right context and pairing them with experienced researchers and AI engineers to ensure outputs are accurate, relevant and repeatable.
Three things to focus on in 2025:
- Start small and scale gradually: Begin with transcription or partial AI moderation to build trust and understand performance.
- Keep objectives at the centre: Use the right mix of tools to meet your goals and generate meaningful insight.
- Be forward-thinking: AI-powered qual will increasingly become part of day-to-day workflow, so now is the time to prepare.
At Konovo, we’re supporting organisations at every stage, combining robust fieldwork, experienced moderation and AI innovation to help clients stay ahead of the curve.
Watch the full webinar on demand to hear more about the latest trends, key challenges and how to confidently navigate the next wave of innovation in qualitative research.
