The energy at IIeX Europe 2025 was unmistakable. Not just because of the conversations about GenAI, but because of the tone of those conversations. Attendees weren't looking for futuristic visions. They were asking, “What’s working today?”
Here’s what emerged across the sessions, and why it's clear the insights industry is undergoing a fundamental shift.
1. The AI narrative is maturing
The vendors and teams that stood out weren’t the ones with flashy demos; they were the ones who could articulate clear business value.
Samsung showed how layering internal strategy, personas, and training data into their insights hub gave marketers access to contextual answers that felt like chatting with a human expert. Lufthansa presented how their CX-focused hub boosted user engagement and eliminated 50+ static reports per year.
In our own session with E.ON, we emphasized that tools alone don’t drive change. Culture, context, and ease of access are essential if you want insights to actually land. As E.ON’s Chris Rastin shared, “If nobody uses the research, it doesn’t matter how good it is.”
The shift: From exploring AI’s potential to proving its performance.
2. Use cases beat vision decks every time
There was a noticeable fatigue around generic GenAI slides. Sessions that stuck with people were the ones that showed how teams are using AI now, not how they might someday.
Puratos and Ipsos, for example, presented a GenAI prompt library with 40+ validated insight lenses. It was simple, clear, and immediately applicable. Our session with E.ON focused on embedding insights into everyday decisions, not as a side project, but as essential infrastructure.
The shift: Leaders want fewer buzzwords and more battle-tested workflows.
3. Knowledge is only power when it’s activated
Our session began with a question: “Is it knowledge if nobody knows it?” That theme echoed throughout the event. Across industries, insights teams are realizing that value isn’t created at the moment of discovery. It’s created at the moment of application.
This is where platforms like Stravito help teams close the loop between knowledge and action by making it easy to search, surface, and share the insights that already exist.
As Chris from E.ON put it, “We don’t need more data. We need to activate what we already have.”
The shift: From collecting knowledge to creating movement.
4. The insights role is becoming more strategic, not less
If you walked into IIeX worried about AI replacing human insight, you left with a different perspective. The role of the insights leader is expanding, not shrinking.
It’s about enabling smarter, faster decisions. Creating scalable systems. Building the connective tissue between research, context, and outcomes.
This is what we see across our customer base too, from Delta to HEINEKEN. Whether you build your own hub like Samsung or partner for speed like E.ON, the north star is the same: more value from insights, delivered with less friction.
The shift: Insights leadership is becoming synonymous with business leadership.
Curious how GenAI can help your team turn knowledge into real business outcomes?
Book a demo to see how Stravito makes insights more actionable.
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