Wink: The AI agent revolutionizing market research
Irene Roberti
Senior Business Designer
Mariavittoria Padoin
Consultant, Service Designer
Research and insights
2024
How we designed a cutting-edge AI-powered tool that enhances the quality of market research by democratizing knowledge of a diverse range of markets and increasing research efficiency while preserving the unique MAIZE approach to insight generation
We developed an AI tool that could handle industry-specific research, ensuring it would assist our team in generating accurate and meaningful insights across diverse sectors. An important goal was to blend two different research approaches that have proven critical for our distinctive research output: the data-driven and strategic business approach with the insightful and discerning research method used by our trend observer team. This tool acts as an extension of our research team by balancing and merging these two different perspectives. This AI Agent is designed to complement our rigorous research methodology while democratizing access to the vast body of knowledge we have built over the years.
At the heart of this project was a key question: How can generative technology help us spread and elevate our expertise in industry research while ensuring the reliability of results and maintaining our unique MAIZE methodology? We sought to create a tool that could not only automate parts of the research process but also preserve the critical thinking, expertise, and nuanced understanding that our researchers bring to each project.
The answer materialized in the form of Wink, an AI-powered tool capable of delivering relevant and perceptive information by sourcing data from carefully curated and verified sources. We tested the tool in the luxury sector, a complex industry that blends with others (fashion, automotive, hospitality…) and where specific rules apply to market dynamics to trigger consumer desire. Wink demonstrated its ability to streamline research processes, providing accurate and nuanced reports on industry trends and emerging market shifts.
What sets Wink apart from other AI tools, such as ChatGPT, is its ability to incorporate our in-house research expertise and methodologies into the AI framework. We onboarded Wink with our specific research approach, our past research experiences and projects, selecting sources, datasets, and critical materials that our researchers rely on. Through this structured onboarding process, Wink learned to balance quantitative data with qualitative insights, ensuring that it could handle both large-scale trend analysis and deep dives into niche but fundamental topics.
Key phases of development included:
- Curating a database of highly specialized sources, vetted by our expert research team.
- Developing a tool capable of reading and processing these sources to deliver the most relevant information.
- Conducting numerous prompt design sessions to fine-tune the tool’s outputs, ensuring they aligned with our standards.
- Testing the tool’s performance in the luxury sector, where we hold extensive expertise, to ensure reliable benchmarking and comparison against existing methods.
- Integrating a conversational interface, allowing users to interact with Wink and delve deeper into specific topics without needing advanced technical knowledge.
The result was a highly specialized AI agent that not only accelerated the research process but also improved the quality of insights generated. Additionally, the tool includes a dedicated section designed to stimulate deeper reflection on key industry questions, prompting users to consider emerging trends and market dynamics from fresh perspectives.
Where traditional AI tools may provide generic or surface-level information, Wink produces comprehensive reports rich in industry-specific insights. It goes beyond simple data extraction, fostering critical thinking by presenting users with a dedicated section made up of three specific entities that stimulate questions about sustainability, emerging trends, and the latest news within their respective industries.
Wink’s interface further enhances its usability by guiding users through complex data analysis, making it accessible to both seasoned researchers and newcomers alike.
What truly sets Wink apart is its ability to adapt to a wide array of contexts and knowledge domains. Whether used for external market research or as a tool for internal knowledge sharing, Wink is designed to handle diverse sources of information. By leveraging a model of co-intelligence, Wink enhances collaboration between AI capabilities and human insight, making it a valuable asset for any organization.
Whether streamlining access to internal knowledge or improving research outcomes with external data, Wink offers the flexibility to draw from selected, trusted sources and return insight-driven, context-specific information. This makes it ideal for companies looking to elevate decision-making processes, manage complex regulatory environments, enhance competitive intelligence to guide strategic decisions, and foster innovation through effective knowledge dissemination. With Wink, your teams can harness the power of AI to scale knowledge sharing, unlock new insights, and maintain a competitive edge — no matter the type or source of information.
The AI agent has proven itself to be an invaluable asset, improving both the speed and depth of our research capabilities. With its ability to streamline processes and deliver accurate, actionable insights, it stands at the forefront of MAIZE’s market research efforts. As we continue to develop this technology, we are excited to see how it will evolve and drive future innovations in our approach to insightful knowledge sharing.
—
Team: Irene Roberti, Alessio Bosca, Margherita Pontisso, Padoin Mariavittoria, Valentina Lunardi, Riccardo Trabattoni
Mentor: Ryslaine Moulay
Keywords: AI Research Assistant, Virtual Assistant
