AI may replace many of our jobs. UX Research is one of the roles most at risk because the technology is increasingly automating many of the tasks.. John Whalen is one of the researchers working at the forefront of leveraging AI. He joins us to map out the future of research and how anyone in product can ride the AI-augmentation wave to better individual and team results. This is episode 28 and we’re discussing how AI will transform product research with John Whalen Ph.D. We cover a topics that are hugely important to anyone working in product and agencies: ➤ How to gain more influence with stakeholders and leaders ➤ That’s it IS possible to do 7 weeks of work in 7 days thanks to AI ➤ Researchers must be curious about AI or get wiped out ➤ How we work has already been disrupted every time a new tool arrives ➤ Why synthetic users are actually immensely powerful, and when to use them John Whalen leads Insights & Innovation at Brilliant Experience, where he helps global brands understand the psychology behind their customers' behaviors and bring successful products to market. Initially skeptical about AI, John and his team conducted extensive “AI vs. Humans” studies to pinpoint precisely where AI-enhanced research excels—and where human judgment remains irreplaceable, and became convinced that AI will transform how research will be done. Now he regularly interviews pioneering founders in the AI-for-UX space and leverages the latest AI tools to deliver rapid, scaled, global insights for top brands. With a PhD from Johns Hopkins, John combines academic rigor with real-world pragmatism to help UX researchers and product leaders harness the new realities of AI-powered research. Follow him https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwhalen/  Learn about his work at https://brilliantexperience.com   Thank you for listening to the Design of AI podcast.  We provide a pragmatic and practical deep dive into what AI can do and how it is transforming industries. We help designers, researchers, and product managers excel in a rapidly changing future. If you find this strategic content helpful, make sure to follow us on your fave podcasting app. It really helps us if you leave reviews. We’re on a mission to collect examples of how you’re using AI to elevate how you work. Share your examples at designof.ai This episode was hosted by: Arpy Dragffy Guerrero (Founder & Principal Strategist PH1 Research) https://www.linkedin.com/in/adragffy/  Brittany Hobbs (VP Insights, Huge)  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanyhobbs/ Please make sure to subscribe to our Substack to never miss an episode. On the Design of AI substack you’ll also receive more strategic insights and recommended products.  https://designofai.substack.com/