At Forrester, we are very good at predicting market disruptions. For more than 40 years, we have guided leaders through major shifts, from the rise of personal computers to the internet, mobile, cloud, and digital transformation. Each of these moments reshaped competitive landscapes and created new sets of winners and losers.
Today, the hype and fear around generative AI are reaching all-time highs. But beyond hype, something more fundamental is happening. People are using AI to reshape how work gets done, moving beyond simple task automation toward augmentation, collaboration, and new ways of solving problems.
Our chairman and CEO, George Colony, called out this shift nearly three years ago. His bold call was that organizations acting decisively on AI would define the next era. We made that bet ourselves and did exactly that.
In 2023, we launched Izola, now called Forrester AI, becoming the first major research and advisory firm to introduce a generative AI experience. We did this because we believed there was a better way to deliver value to our clients.
At the same time, we realize that AI does not replace human expertise — it amplifies it. More than ever, leaders need someone to help them cut through the slop and understand not just what can be done but what should be done and why.
Drinking Our Own Champagne
Unlike other firms, we do not just advise clients on navigating AI disruption. We apply our own research, frameworks, and analyst expertise to transform how we operate. We drink our own champagne.
The Forrester Product Management Ecosystem Model helped us align customer outcomes, strategy, and execution, which has accelerated our transformation and reshaped how we invest in our own portfolio. But vision only matters if it is matched with execution, and that’s why I am so proud of how our team has delivered on this strategy.
Over the past six months, we have continued to upgrade our already industry-leading AI capabilities, providing clients with an even more intuitive and robust experience. Specifically, we’ve:
Enhanced conversational capabilities with chain-of-thought reasoning.
Expanded support for more than 200 languages to better serve our global clients.
Integrated key research assets, including interactive data tools, initiative blueprints, and Total Experience Score benchmarks.
Personalized the client experience with starter prompts and suggested next questions.
Reduced friction for clients as they connect with analysts for deeper guidance.
Most recently, we have brought Forrester AI to where our clients work by being the first research and advisory firm to embed directly into Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365 Copilot.
We are not simply adding features. We are redesigning the client experience by combining advanced technology with trusted, analyst-backed insights.
The result? Hypergrowth in usage and amazing feedback from clients. Among our favorite recent quotes from clients: “I’m speechless — that’s amazing. I want [my team member] to see that tool” and “Love the quick access and grounding in Forrester research. Great step forward!”
We have become the decision layer inside our clients’ everyday workflows. Clients now interact with research rather than just reading static reports. They can partner with our analysts to make the truly hard decisions and apply that trusted insight in real time within their workflows. And we are just getting started.
Leading The Next Era Of Research
As we accelerate our AI journey, it is encouraging to see other firms in our industry beginning to move in this direction, as well. But there is a meaningful difference between starting the journey and having years of experience and learning.
There is also a difference between charging for additional AI features and thoughtfully embedding generative AI directly into core client experiences. We’ve chosen the latter, using AI to enhance the value, speed, and actionability of our trusted insights for every client in the places where they work.
Forrester was built for moments like this. We are continuing to raise the bar for ourselves and for our industry. The future of research is not about delivering more information — it is about enabling better decisions with trusted insight, delivered in context and continuously evolving to meet client needs. At Forrester, that is exactly what we are doing: helping clients move faster, with greater clarity, and higher confidence.
