AI vs HUMINT in CI

Let's face it, human intelligence gathering (HUMINT) is complicated, time consuming, hard to validate and costly. Lately, technological advances in AI for Competitive Intelligence strategies have been quite impressive;

LLMs - and now SLMs - help write complex code that can be used to gather and process data more intensely
NPL for speech recognition and sentiment analysis can be useful for evaluating customer opinions
Data visualization tools, like real-time interactive dashboards, present complex data in a way that's easier – and faster – to grasp

to name but a few.

Secondary research data handling is faster, more efficient and more effective than ever before. AI is, indeed, an essential instrument for leading-edge Competitive Intelligence; BUT Human Intelligence still plays a vital role!

While AI will radically alter how work gets done and who does it, the technology's larger impact will be in complementing and augmenting human capabilities, not replacing them.
— SOURCE Harvard Business Review

Reality Check

When it comes to Competitive Intelligence, there are real dangers in relying too heavily on algorithms, processors, and visualization monitors.

[ 4 ] Potential Dangers of AI in CI

Human Intel is Still Inimitable

Human Intel, also known as primary research, involves speaking to people in-the-know and asking nuanced questions to get answers for particular research objectives. Primary CI is more art than science. Faced with amorphous and dynamic responses, a seasoned human investigator is able to adapt, add context and compose creative follow-up questions.

One terrific example of the power of HUMINT is networking at a conference. There's so much interaction - attending seminars, engaging with industry peers over coffee, reading the body language of company reps, etc. An experienced intel gatherer can put things in perspective and focus on what's relevant.
[ Read how event coverage can be the Swiss-army-knife of competitive intelligence tools » ]

Human Intel enables us to grasp the larger, more intangible picture and evolve the investigation. AI may be brilliant at gathering and sorting immense piles of secondary research data to reveal probable patterns. But the truly extraordinary information comes from HUMINT - free-flowing conversations with a network of pre-vetted experts and well-cultivated local contacts.

Integration is the Key

So, sure, AI can very efficiently sift through mounds of data, recognize patterns, and present suggestions for marketing and development activities. But the most dynamic and effective CI strategies will always require the insight, interpretation and inspiration that Human Intelligence brings.

Marc Limacher, Founder and CEO of INOVIS Competitive Intelligence Strategies
PRESENTED BY
Marc Limacher
Founder & CEO, INOVIS

Marc Limacher started INOVIS, Inc. in 1992 as a boutique primary CI specialty firm in Palo Alto, CA, focusing on IT (software, hardware, and services across 12 industry verticals) and life sciences (14 therapy areas, medtech, digital health). As a 30-year veteran in the CI and counter-intelligence industry, he has grown INOVIS into a global leader in primary strategic & tactical intelligence and consulting services, counting a select group of global Blue Chip companies as loyal clients. The introduction of an expert regulatory intelligence practice as well as an innovative real-time scenario planning software tool are unique in the industry. Prior to INOVIS, he served as Director of Market Intelligence at a leading U.S. institutional investment firm, providing primary intelligence on small-/medium-/large-cap equities via a global employee network of 125 investigative analysts. Marc also delivers custom CI seminars, runs competitor simulation workshops, and is a frequent lecturer on CI and counter-intelligence topics at companies and to academia.