At a Market Research Society event in London this week, a deceptively simple question was posed: ‘Will researchers need to understand research in the future?’

It is tempting to assume the answer is ‘No’. As AI becomes more capable, surely the need for deep expertise fades. But that line of thinking assumes the challenge is simply operating the technology, and that is not where the real risk lies.

Our latest research at The Harris Poll UK highlights a growing expectation that future leadership will be shaped not only by knowledge and experience, but by human understanding, ethical judgment and the confidence to navigate uncertainty.

It reflects something I’ve increasingly recognised in my own work. In the insights industry, we are often asked to provide certainty. Clients want clarity, leaders want confidence, and organisations want to know what happens next.

The longer I spend in research, leading teams and partnering with organisations through rapid change, the more I have come to value something I once tried hard to avoid: ‘not knowing’.