As “AI-native” firms start to appear, Jonathan Perry, Senior Strategy Advisor at EdSolutions, asks a practical question: what would a market research and strategy advisory firm look like if it were built AI-native from the start?
The work would shift
Research, analysis and production would move toward research framing, prompt design and quality assurance of AI output. Client engagement and qualitative research would stay human. In education markets, knowing who to talk to, and earning the trust to get them on the phone again, is critical.
The business model would shift too
Instead of buying a discrete report, clients might pay for access to a proprietary framework or a subscription to ongoing market intelligence. More engagements would be productized. The risk is that clients feel they are buying a report rather than expert judgment.
Where it hits a wall
When the stakes are high, funders, nonprofit leaders and social entrepreneurs want confidence and a knowledgeable, trustworthy co-thinking partner, not a deliverable. That is a useful counterweight to the hype.