Can AI Do Weeks of Research in Just Hours?
- Mat Jones
- Dec 20, 2024
- 2 min read
After 20+ years of running growth strategy projects, I'd accepted certain "truths": each round of research takes about a week, usually requiring multiple rounds over 4-6 weeks to get it right. Countless hours of analysts searching, reading, synthesizing - it was just part of the game.
So when we tested our AI platform against a standard first-round research scope - competitor analysis, market sizing, customer segmentation - I was skeptical. Even if it worked, how good could it be?
The initial results shocked me. In just hours, we had a first draft of research that typically takes a team of analysts a full week to compile. Our AI agents had processed thousands of sources, documenting every insight and data point.
Now, let's be real - it wasn't perfect. The client review sparked several questions that required another round of research. In some places, the AI had made mistakes. We needed to dig deeper in some areas, broaden the scope in others, and review and revise as necessary.
But here's what blew my mind: each round of refinement took hours, not a week. What used to be a grinding series of week-long research sprints transformed into rapid iterations with the client. More collaboration, better questions, faster insights.
A senior colleague reviewing the output asked: "Wait... how many people worked on this?"
"Just a consultant and the AI agents," I replied.
He paused. "Well, this changes everything."
The implications are staggering - especially for smaller teams who've been locked out of complex growth projects by the sheer magnitude of the traditional research effort.
Next week, I'll break down what this means for the future of strategy consulting. But first: What's the most surprising technological leap you've witnessed in your field?
