In 2026, AI adoption is no longer the primary challenge for many insights teams – maturity is. According to MRII, 62% of research teams already use AI, and research from Rival Technologies shows that 46% of researchers plan to increase their AI budgets this year. Yet across many organizations, AI impact still shows up as scattered micro-wins rather than sustained, scalable value.
A key issue facing research teams is the lack of a clear framework for measuring what’s working.
In this session, panelists will share the AI Maturity & Value Ladder developed for Innovation Insiders, Rival Technologies’ AI education initiative for insights professionals. The framework shows how AI value evolves – from early experimentation and workflow efficiency to the ultimate goal of enterprise intelligence.
The session will also explore ROI, focusing on how to anchor measurement to specific jobs to be done and business outcomes that resonate with the C-suite.
Panelists will discuss practical ways research teams can assess where they are today, identify what’s holding them back and move AI from experimentation into operational, leadership-ready impact.
Attendees will leave with:
• A clear lens for evaluating their position on the AI maturity and value ladder.
• Practical ways to think about ROI as a scoreboard for scaling AI responsibly.
• Guidance on identifying which AI use cases should move from testing into scale.
