Awkward Silences
Awkward Silences
User Interviews
Research Ops 2.0, Episode 2: Leveraging AI for Research Superstardom
51 minutes Posted Sep 2, 2025 at 1:42 pm.
About this Episode
Introducing the AI Narrator
When AI Isn’t So Great
Learning to Work with AI’s Flaws; Embracing AI
What You Put in Dictates What You Get Out
You Gotta Start with the Customer Experience and Work Backwards
Primary Use Cases for AI in Research
Case Study No. 1: Repositories and Sensemaking
AI for Sensemaking at Microsoft
Case Study No. 2: Research Mentorship and Support
Is This the End of Research Templates?
Could AI Be Used as a Research Moderation Coach?
AI, the Career Guidance Coach
Case Study No. 3: Making the Dream of Fast Participant Recruitment a Reality
Identifying Bad Actors and Fighting Fraud
Making the Most of an Avalanche of Data
The Dawn of AI Moderators Means There’s Even More Data to Manage
The Bombshell Topic: Synthetic Users
Orchestrating AI Agents as Part of Product Teams
Will AI Steal My ResearchOps Job?
The Next Episode Is All About Taking a Platform Approach to ResearchOps
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Show notes

In just 10 years, ResearchOps has transformed from an obscure Silicon Valley speciality into a vibrant global profession. Despite economic headwinds, ResearchOps roles are emerging across industries far beyond tech, and the field is evolving at breathtaking speed. But where has it come from, and where is it going?

In this five-part audio documentary series, Kate Towsey of Cha Cha Club explores the past, present, and, most important of all, the future of ResearchOps. Each episode features the voices of Cha Cha Club members, senior research leaders, and the smart minds behind User Interviews.

In this episode, we’ll explore how ResearchOps professionals are approaching AI today and what the future holds. Expect several unique case studies, as well as mind-blowing, not-so-futurist concepts. (Hint: Never mind AI research moderators. What about AI as genuine research participants?)

Credits
Production, narration, and audio engineering by Kate Towsey. Co-produced with Cha Cha Club manager, Glenn Familton, and ResearchOps experts, Jenna Lombardo and Renato Venter. Aria, the robotic voice, was generated by Soundly. Music and (most) sound effects featured in this episode were sourced from Epidemic Sound. Explore music and sounds via this playlist.