Companies are investing heavily in AI and data integration, but a new study from Zappi finds that many are failing to turn that investment into impact. According to Zappi’s Connected Insights Imperative 2025 research report, while organizations with connected insights note a 24-point higher satisfaction with their insights function, half of businesses remain stuck with fragmented data that blocks effective decision-making and can derail AI initiatives.
These findings are based on a survey of more than 200 marketing and insights professionals. The study tracks the state of “connected insights” — continuous, centralized consumer understanding embedded into decision-making — and the impact on organizations, highlighting where companies are making progress and where obstacles hold them back.
Key findings from the 2025 report include:
- Investment in AI and data is surging:Â In the past year, 44% of companies hired for AI or data integration roles.
- Data fragmentation remains a major blocker: 41% cite it as the top barrier to using insights effectively — outpacing challenges like converting insights into action (33%), budget constraints (33%), expertise gaps (29%) and time constraints (26%). Without addressing fragmentation, even heavy AI investments risk becoming expensive projects that fail to deliver impact.
- Connected insights are rare:Â Just 38% of marketing and insights pros say their organization has connected, centralized insights. Half describe the state of insights as fragmented and 12% as disconnected.
- Connected insights deliver big satisfaction and impact:Â Companies with connected insights report at least 24-point higher satisfaction with their insights function (75% satisfaction versus 51% at organizations with fragmented insights and 48% at those with disconnected insights). They are also more satisfied with marketing-insights relationships (80% satisfaction versus 48% when insights are fragmented and 39% when disconnected).
- Technology adoption ties to insights maturity: 82% of organizations that connect their insights use technology to do so — compared to 69% of fragmented and 68% of their disconnected counterparts. Businesses with connected insights are also more likely to value AI’s role in insights (42% strongly agreeing AI is important to this versus 30% of fragmented and 24% of disconnected counterparts).
- Insights functions are evolving: In the past year, 1 in 3 companies centralized or restructured their insights function. Still, many organizations lack a formal structure — only about one in four (23%) have a dedicated department or function, while others spread the work across teams or even single individuals, or outsource their insights work.
Level 4: Insights as Organizational DNA
Zappi’s research highlights the emerging “Level 4” organizations, where insights are embedded in daily operations and decision-making—powered by AI and continuous feedback loops. Achieving this accelerated model requires CEO leadership, cross-functional collaboration and an organization-wide commitment to integrating insights into strategy.
“In 2025, companies are pouring resources into AI to gain an edge — but without connected insights to continuously feed these systems, the technology falls flat,” said Nataly Kelly, CMO at Zappi. “Connected insights create an accessible foundation where the consumer voice is embedded into every decision, enabling marketing and insights teams to democratize access to consumer intelligence and unlock real organizational impact.”
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