AI is everywhere. From the way we shop, search and create to the way businesses operate and innovate, it’s reshaping how the world works. In the insight industry, it’s tempting to see AI primarily as a tool for efficiency. And there is no denying that it makes the work faster: coding thousands of open-ended responses, identifying themes, summarising conversations. What once took days can now happen in minutes and that is valuable, but it is also just the starting point.

Efficiency is the foundation, not the destination and that is especially true when it comes to insight communities. They are living, breathing ecosystems where people share their stories, hopes and frustrations. But what makes them powerful is not efficiency alone, it’s the human spark that emerges when people feel heard, valued and inspired. That spark is not something AI can replace, but it is something AI can help elevate.

Insight communities that feel more human

The magic of an insight community has never been about technology. It comes from trust, relationships and the sense that each person’s voice truly matters. People join because they want to feel part of something bigger than themselves.

AI now offers new ways to deepen that human connection. It can make interactions more personal, empathetic and alive. Imagine a community where feedback loops are nearly instant, showing members that their ideas are shaping the conversation in real time.

With that trust in place, people open up more freely. And that matters, because understanding people requires context, the routines, environments, emotions and values that shape people’s lives. That’s why communities mix activities like video diaries, missions, mood boards and storytelling exercises to capture the full picture.

So where does AI fit in? AI adds another layer by expanding how we interpret this richness. A photo of a meal, a short video diary or even a simple sketch of a living room can be decoded visually, revealing the emotions and symbolism behind what people choose to show as well as what they say. Here AI is not only enhancing the way we process data, it’s helping us listen with greater depth and empathy.

Ultimately, AI helps us move beyond data to see and value the people behind it. When members see their stories acknowledged and acted upon, the community becomes a space of connection and inspiration.

Igniting creativity together

Communities are not just listening pods; they are creative engines. People don’t just share what is, they imagine what could be and AI can act as a catalyst.

By synthesising community feedback into early ideas, visual storyboards or “what if” scenarios, AI helps bring insights to life more quickly. This makes it easier for community members, insight leads and brand teams to build on each other’s thinking.

But let’s be clear: AI doesn’t provide the creative spark. That still comes from people, from their lived experiences, truths and emotional perspectives. What AI does is amplify the spark, ensuring it spreads faster and ignites richer outcomes.

Digital Avatars: human stories, always on

One of the exciting applications of AI in insight communities is the rise of digital avatars. Dynamic, data-driven personas created from the voices, behaviors and experiences of community members.

Avatars evolve as the community generates new input. They become living reflections of people’s needs, motivations and frustrations. For stakeholders, this means they can “meet” and interact with their audiences through these avatars, bringing consumer voices to life in ways a static report could ever convey.

Avatars also open new possibilities for iterative feedback. Brand teams can quickly test concepts or questions with avatars trained on community data, gaining directional input in between live research activities. It’s not about replacing human interaction but about keeping the consumer perspective always on – even when time is short.

By combining empathy-building with agility, avatars elevate the role of communities from episodic research hubs to constant companions in decision-making.

Communities as living ecosystems

Perhaps one of the most underused powers of an insight community is its ability to serve as a living ecosystem of stories. Every discussion, diary entry, idea or reflection adds to a rich library of human experience. Too often, this accumulated wisdom is untapped. Insight teams start new projects from scratch, reinventing the wheel instead of building on what already exists. That means valuable stories sit on the shelf instead of inspiring what comes next.

This is where AI and specifically our Mastermind tool, changes the game. Mastermind is our proprietary AI-powered intelligence hub connected to our square community platform. It brings together all community data and makes it easy to explore what is already known: the stories, insights and signals that have been shared before. Now, we can scan the ecosystem and map the knowledge we already have.

From there, new research can zoom in on the gaps. The unanswered questions, the fresh tensions and the emerging opportunities. Instead of asking the same things again, we can build on what is already there and move further, uncovering the deeper layers of human behavior and emotion that drive brands forward.

The result? Faster, richer learning journeys. Communities become more than project-based research engines. They become living, evolving ecosystems of human understanding. A foundation that grows stronger with every new story shared.

Elevating what’s possible

AI in communities is not an endpoint, but an enabler. It helps us protect and amplify what matters most: the human spark at the heart of every community. Communities should never lose their warmth, empathy or sense of belonging. They should become more human, not less and AI makes that possible.

When technology elevates human connection, communities stop being just a research method and more than ever before are platforms for dialogue, creativity and co-creation between people and brands.