Synthetic Sample with Carol Sue Haney of Qualtrics
Tue Jan 13 2026
Host Sima Vasa welcomes Carol Sue Haney, Head of Research and Data Science, Engineering at Qualtrics, to discuss the transformative role of AI and data science in the market research industry.
Carol Sue explains Qualtrics’ early bet on generative AI and the development of proprietary LLMs, moving into agentic work and synthetic sampling, which she predicts will rival non-probability human sampling for quick-turn research. She emphasizes the challenges CMOs face with data overload and the fundamental importance of using regression analysis to link customer experience (CX) data, including the surprising weight of marketing messages, to crucial business outcomes like renewal and revenue growth.
Key Takeaways:
00:00 Introduction.
03:12 Data research careers spanned decades before computers existed.
06:35 Early generative AI investment provides significant competitive advantages.
09:20 Synthetic research boosts accuracy using rich, proven seed data.
13:02 AI models instantly incorporate new information for continuous improvement.
17:09 Regression remains essential for identifying true business drivers.
20:42 Curated data and guided AI make regression faster and reliable.
24:18 Financial independence through careers empowers women in critical ways.
25:42 Mentorship and knowledge sharing strengthen the entire research industry.
Resources Mentioned:
Qualtrics | Website
#Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech
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Host Sima Vasa welcomes Carol Sue Haney, Head of Research and Data Science, Engineering at Qualtrics, to discuss the transformative role of AI and data science in the market research industry. Carol Sue explains Qualtrics’ early bet on generative AI and the development of proprietary LLMs, moving into agentic work and synthetic sampling, which she predicts will rival non-probability human sampling for quick-turn research. She emphasizes the challenges CMOs face with data overload and the fundamental importance of using regression analysis to link customer experience (CX) data, including the surprising weight of marketing messages, to crucial business outcomes like renewal and revenue growth. Key Takeaways: 00:00 Introduction. 03:12 Data research careers spanned decades before computers existed. 06:35 Early generative AI investment provides significant competitive advantages. 09:20 Synthetic research boosts accuracy using rich, proven seed data. 13:02 AI models instantly incorporate new information for continuous improvement. 17:09 Regression remains essential for identifying true business drivers. 20:42 Curated data and guided AI make regression faster and reliable. 24:18 Financial independence through careers empowers women in critical ways. 25:42 Mentorship and knowledge sharing strengthen the entire research industry. Resources Mentioned: Qualtrics | Website #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech