Quirk’s NYC 2025 Recap: Insights, AI, and Big Energy from the Big Apple

Sessions That Got People Talking 

It wouldn’t be a 2025 insights conference without AI taking center stage. But this year, the conversation shifted—from AI as a disruptor to AI as an amplifier of human intuition.

Let’s start strong. The room was packed for “From Chaos to Clarity,” where Mary Ann Packo and her team showed how strategic storytelling can bridge the gap between data and decision-making. They emphasized the power of distillation, not dumbing things down but sharpening the signal so insights land with force. Their call to action was simple. Make research unforgettable. 

In “Making AI Human,” Sekisui House shared how they’re using AI to refine segmentation models while keeping emotional nuance intact. This wasn’t just another session about the future of tech. It was a thoughtful deep dive into pairing algorithms with cultural sensitivity. Think of it as tech with a soul. 

Visa’s session on the evolving gig economy was another surprise hit. Their research uncovered that freelancers across categories are creating entirely new consumer patterns. This has implications beyond payments. It’s about how these consumers shop, travel, and even choose their coffee. A whole new behavior set worth tracking. 

PepsiCo’s “Innovation Success Tracking” walked us through how they validate early-stage concepts using predictive analytics. They’re building a crystal ball for innovation teams, and they let us peek inside. Most impressive? Their transparency. They shared what worked, what didn’t, and how the insights actually shaped the outcome. 

“Beyond the Shelf” by Mondelez made a real impression. They connected the dots from campaign exposure to actual product pick-up, combining behavioral data with traditional qual. This felt like the future of CPG tracking. 

New York Life and NORC delivered one of the most quoted sessions of the conference. “Identity in Consumer Insights” explored how understanding self-perception, not just demographics, leads to sharper segmentation. They asked if customers see themselves the way brands see them. That question stayed with me. 

Then came “Culture as Strategy.” Toyota and Hyundai Capital led a beautiful walk through cultural intelligence. No more treating culture like an accessory. They shared how product design and messaging are stronger when rooted in local context, not just global trends. 

LinkedIn’s “From Visibility to Belonging” was emotional in all the right ways. Instead of starting with checklists, they started with stories. Real stories. About feeling seen, feeling missed, and what brands can do to be part of someone’s life, not just part of their shopping basket. 

Also, shout out to L’Occitane and Shake Shack. They showed how brand loyalty is built through community, feedback loops, and just showing up. No gimmicks. Just trust, relevance, and really good storytelling. 

Let’s Talk Product Hub 

Somewhere between session five and snack break three, Product Hub had its moment. You could feel it. People were connecting the dots. This wasn’t just another platform. It was exactly what teams had been hoping to find. 

As sessions highlighted the move toward scalable, agile, global research, we found ourselves in some incredible conversations. We weren’t just showing software. We were showing what global, end-to-end product testing can look like when it’s smart, flexible, and actually built for today’s demands. 

We met insights leads trying to simplify tangled workflows, innovation managers pushing to launch faster across markets, and teams hungry for a toolkit that could support them from start to finish. Idea to insight. Concept to execution. 

Product Hub landed not because it’s flashy, but because it works. It makes complexity feel calm. It makes global feel local. It brings speed without stress and clarity without compromise. From Thailand to United States, we’re helping teams build better products by giving them a better testing space. 

What’s the Industry Saying Right Now? 

AI is no longer a buzzword. It’s operational. From Qrious and their AI-led interviews to Tea Forté’s automated innovation pipeline, the message was clear. AI is saving time, giving teams bandwidth, and when used thoughtfully, it’s helping craft better insight stories. But no one is tolerating thoughtless automation anymore. It has to add value. 

Authenticity was everywhere. And not just in brand decks. This year, the industry meant it. Gen Z called for real representation. Researchers pushed for less polish and more substance. The shift was clear. Tell true stories, with real people, that lead to real decisions. 

Another big theme was collaboration. Mondelez made it clear. The best insights don’t live in silos. Strategy, marketing, product. Everyone should speak the same language. Research is that language. And we’re the translators. 

Moments Between the Moments 

Some of the most meaningful takeaways happened offstage. I had a coffee chat about rebuilding trust in consumer panels that left me scribbling ideas for days. A hallway hello turned into a full breakdown of how to drive cross-functional enablement. And a quick snack break somehow became a thirty-minute talk about qualitative rigor in the age of speed. 

One of my favorite moments was a conversation about research careers in an AI-first world. Another centered on the difference between being culturally relevant and being culturally respectful. That one has stuck with me more than any slide. 

A fellow panelist told me this was the first time they’d seen research feel like a movement, not just a method. And honestly, that line hit home. The curiosity was real. The urgency was shared. People are done playing small. 

Final Thought Before I Write Another One 

Quirk’s NYC 2025 wasn’t just good. It was clarifying. We’re in a moment where the old way isn’t enough and the new way is being written in real time. We’re choosing meaning over metrics. Human over hype. 

And Product Hub is right there in the center of it. It’s the toolkit. The platform. The playground. And maybe most importantly, it’s run by people who truly get what this work takes. 

I’m heading home energized, inspired, and already thinking about what we’ll bring to the stage in 2026. 

See you there? 

Written by Tasneem Dalal, Customer Success Director, Product Hub