AI Year in Review: 2024

Rival AI’s Role in Advancing Conversational Research and Innovation  

2024 will undoubtedly be remembered as the year AI became impossible to ignore. While we’re just beginning to scratch the surface of its immense potential, one thing is certain—AI is here to stay and is reshaping industries across the board. Market research is no exception.  

At Rival, this year has been transformative, marked by significant strides in AI-driven innovation to advance conversational research. Our mission remains clear: to empower researchers with cutting-edge tools that deliver richer insights, improve participant experiences, and unlock new possibilities in understanding human behavior.  

Let’s dive into the milestones that defined our year and explore how we’re laying the groundwork for an even brighter future. 

Rival Labs: Innovating Through Agile Experimentation 

In 2024, we launched Rival Labs, a dedicated innovation team focused on exploring the future of market research through agile experimentation. Rival Labs operates as a separate entity, allowing for the rapid prototyping of AI-driven concepts and enabling a safe space for iterative testing and learning. This approach resulted in groundbreaking prototypes and vision artifacts that bridge emerging AI technologies with real-world applications. By fostering collaboration with external partners, Rival Labs is setting the stage for transformative solutions that address complex market research challenges and advance the industry. 

Productization of AI Features: Tone Refinement and Insight Summarizer 

The first half of 2024 saw the transition of two popular AI features, Tone Refinement and Insight Summarizer, from beta to fully enterprise-ready. These features, released in May, empower researchers with powerful tools to craft engaging, on-brand conversational surveys and extract actionable themes from open-ended responses. Tone Refinement allows users to fine-tune survey language for maximum impact, while Insight Summarizer delivers data-driven insights with relevance and confidence scores, streamlining qualitative analysis. These innovations exemplify our commitment to delivering user-focused tools that combine experimentation with enterprise-grade reliability. 

“Rival consistently delivers on its product roadmap and has introduced several innovative consumer research tools, such as their AI Summarizer. The power of AI in the tech space is undeniable, and I’m thrilled to be partnering with Rival Labs to test additional AI developments that allow us to unlock deeper consumer insights.” - Kati LaBeaume, Director of Consumer Insights & Brand Strategy at ŌURA. 

Insight Summarizer Standalone Assistant 

In H1 2024, we also explored a standalone version of the Insight Summarizer, extending its capabilities to external datasets. While this proof of concept revealed technical challenges, such as dataset variability and workflow management, it provided invaluable learnings that informed the development of future AI-powered solutions, including our AI Video Reels feature. This initiative underscored our commitment to experimentation and the iterative process of innovation. 

AI-Powered Probing for Open-Ended Responses 

We introduced AI-powered probing, a feature that uses natural language processing to craft contextually relevant follow-up questions in real-time. This innovation transforms qualitative data collection by encouraging participants to elaborate on their responses, resulting in richer insights while reducing manual effort for researchers. Customizable probing levels and continuous AI improvement ensure a seamless, engaging conversational flow tailored to specific research goals. 

AI-Powered Thoughtfulness Scoring 

Building on the probing feature, we launched Thoughtfulness Scoring to enhance response quality evaluation. This feature assigns a score to open-ended responses based on depth and emotional engagement, triggering follow-up questions only when needed. By minimizing redundancy and improving conversational flow, Thoughtfulness Scoring ensures participants feel valued and researchers receive meaningful, actionable insights. 

AI-Powered Video Analysis and Themed Highlight Reels 

In 2024, we revolutionized video survey analysis with AI-powered video analysis and themed highlight reels. This feature automates transcription, theme identification, and clip extraction, enabling researchers to create visually compelling evidence videos that support key insights. With built-in privacy safeguards and customization options, this tool streamlines the traditionally labor-intensive process of video analysis, making it more efficient and impactful. 

AI Assistant for Authoring Conversational Surveys 

In H2, we unveiled the AI Assistant for Authoring Conversational Surveys, a groundbreaking tool for simplifying complex survey design. By generating questions and logic from high-level prompts or uploaded files, this assistant empowers researchers to create conversational, audience-tailored surveys effortlessly. With adaptive learning, multilingual support, and contextual guidance, this tool democratizes advanced survey design, enabling researchers of all skill levels to achieve professional results. 

Closing Thoughts: Thank You for an Incredible Year 

2024 was a year defined by transformation and innovation, highlighted by the launch of Rival Labs, the productization of powerful AI features, and continued investment in experimental initiatives that promise even greater value in 2025. Our guiding principles—Human-in-the-Loop, Conversational, and Ideation-Iteration-Collaboration—shaped every milestone, ensuring that AI advancements are grounded in human expertise and real-world relevance. 

To our community, thank you for your conversations, feedback, and trust. Together, we’ve demonstrated the power of combining human ingenuity with AI innovation. As we look ahead to 2025, we’re excited to build on this momentum with new discoveries and tools that redefine market research. Stay tuned for updates from Rival Labs as we continue shaping the future of insight generation, one conversation at a time. Here’s to another incredible year! 

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