2026年用户研究的未来报告

Table of Contents Oo The turning point: Insight meets impact O1 Trend 1: Al becomes baseline, judgmentbecomes the edge O2 Trend 2: Research influence reachesthe boardroom 03 Trend 3: Pressure builds as demandoutpaces enablement O4 Beyond influence: Building systemsthat scale The turning point:Insight meets impact For years, researchers have carried the quiet weightof valuable insights-without always being heard.You saw the patterns. You gathered the evidence.You challenged assumptions. We surveyed nearly 500 researchers,designers, and product professionals tounderstand how this shift is reshapingresearch. The data reveals somethingbigger than faster workflows. But having the insights and influencing the outcomeare two very different things. In organizations stillbuilding their research practice, that gap feels wide.In more established teams, expectations have risen,and so has the pressure. Al becomes the baseline, humanjudgment becomes the edgeResearch influence reaches theboardroomPressure builds as demand outpacessystems In 2026, the landscape shifts. Nearly 2 in 3 researchers now use Al in theirworkflows. Recruitment, transcription, synthesis,reportingtasks that once stretched for weeks nowtake hours. This process-heavy work is faster,lighter, and often automated. But speed isn't thedestination. What Al cannot replace is what hasalways mattered most in research: Research has claimed its seat at the table.The question now: are your systemsandyour culture-built to keep it there? Judgment. Interpretation. Strategy. Influence. Meet our subject matter experts: Amanda GelbStrategic Researcher,Aha Studio Inc Dalia El-ShimyDirector of User Research,Wise Kate PazolesSenior Manager, Research,Twilio Brooke SykesSenior Manager, Firefox UserResearch, Mozilla Daniel Soranzo,Principal UX Researcher,GoodRx Megan Blocker Senior Director, Research &Insights,JustWorks Pert EilersStaff Strategic OperationsManager, Adobe Dave Chen Caitlin Sullivan Senior Director, UX Foundations& Enablement, 1Password Al Trainerfor Al Customer Research Al becomes baselinejudgment becomesthe edge What started as cautious experimentation has becomeeveryday practice. In 2026, Al isn't replacing researchers;it's changing how research gets done. And in doing so,it's revealing something important: automation scalesexecutionhumans scale meaning Ai has movedinto the mainstream Nearly 2 in 3 participants (69%) now use Al in at leastsome of their research projectsa 19% increase fromlast year. The benefits of using Al are clear: 63% faster research turnaround60% improved team efficiency56% more optimized workflows What once felt like a competitive edge is now tablestakes. As one participant shared, the role of theresearcher “has shifted from a specialized role to astrategic, Al-integrated skill" Researchers are using Alto analyze data (76%), automate transcription (57%),plan and draft studies (56%), and even generateresearch questions (55%). By handling repetitive, time-intensive tasks, Al shortensthe distance between question and insight, and helpsteams keep pace with product cycles and risingexpectations. The hesitation around Al hasn't fullydisappeared, but behavior tells a clear story: Al is abaseline expectation of the role. What benefits have youexperienced using Al tools? Al executes. humansdecide what matters Before Al, researchers found themselves drifting intosystems administration: managing tools, wranglingtranscripts, stitching together outputs under tighttimelines. All necessary work, but not the reason mostentered the field. Al is swinging the pendulum back. Al can surface patterns, summarize interviews, and draftthemes. But it can't pick up on hesitation, read betweenthe lines, or decide which insight matters most for thebusiness-and why. When asked where human judgmentremains essential, participants identified: Interpreting nuance and emotion (82%)Ethical decision-making (80%)Framing the right questions (76%)Delivering strategic recommendations (66%).Influencing stakeholders through storytelling (64%) "The most immediate application for Alhas been replacing the repeatable partsof research execution. But we've alwaysknown that just executing research hasnever been enough to be a successfulresearcher: you need to be able to thinkstrategically and influence direction,alongside the execution" As Daniel Soranzo, Principal UX Researcher at GoodRx,explains: “Nuance is where researchers really need tocome through. Al doesn't pick up on facial expressions,tone, or hesitation-these non-verbal communicationsmake up 70% of interactions. Al takes things at face value,making human touch really important." Dalia El-ShimyDirector of User Research,Wise The value of research isn't in producing outputs. Its valuelies in the humans who transform data into direction. When using Al in research, where ishuman judgment still essential? Credibility requireshuman judgment Daniel Soranzo explains,“As thought leaders