Prosper Insights - Consumer Futures

October 2025 Consumer Snapshot

This podcast covers the October 2025 Consumer Snapshot report produced by Prosper Insights & Analytics, a firm specializing in predicting consumer behavior. The report details that consumer confidence in the U.S. economy has slightly softened due to persistent concerns about inflation and interest rates, yet consumers are maintaining a steady emotional mood and their 90-day spending intentions have risen. While shoppers are more aware of rising prices, particularly for groceries, they are coping through value-seeking strategies like using coupons and buying private labels, suggesting they are adjusting to a "new normal." The analysis indicates that the consumer is cautious but not shut down, signaling that retailers should use hybrid strategies focused on promotional essentials while also offering lifestyle upgrades to capture potential discretionary spending. Finally, the source highlights a growing reliance on value ecosystems, evidenced by increased membership in both Amazon Prime and Walmart+.

Data Quality Determines AI Project Success

This podcast covers a Forbes article by Gary Drenik, an expert in AI and consumer data, which addresses why the majority of artificial intelligence projects are unsuccessful. Drenik argues that the failure rate of up to 95% for AI projects, supported by reports from MIT, Gartner, and NIST, is not due to the technology itself but rather the poor quality and lack of representativeness in the data used for training models.

The podcast contrasts this common failure with the success of Exponential Technologies (XTech), whose forecasting models consistently outperform others by using high-quality, targeted datasets rather than large, generic ones.

Ultimately, the podcast concludes that data quality is the most critical factor separating successful AI innovations from failures.

AI is Not Special …It needs AI-ready Data

This podcast covers a Forbes article by Gary Drenik of Prosper Insights & Analytics, which argues that the hype surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) is unwarranted because the concept is decades old and Generative AI (GenAI) is merely a stepping stone to more advanced systems like agentic AI. The podcast highlights the rapid adoption of GenAI, particularly by Millennials and Gen-Z, but stresses that the next major breakthrough is likely to be agentic AI, which consists of autonomous systems that act independently to achieve goals. However, the adoption of agentic AI is hampered by a lack of AI-ready data, requiring organizations to focus on proper data management and a holistic strategy.

This podcast covers a Forbes article titled "Rethinking Retail - A Data Driven Blueprint For Thriving In Uncertainty," authored by Gary Drenik, a contributor focusing on AI and innovation, which outlines the contents of a new book on retail strategy from professors at Northwestern University. The article emphasizes that traditional retail models relying on backward-looking transaction data are failing in the current tech-enabled market, advocating instead for a forward-looking approach grounded in zero-party consumer data from Prosper Insights & Analytics. The piece details thirteen data-driven success factors from the book for retailers, such as monitoring economic confidence and leveraging behavioral clustering over simple demographics, to help brands navigate disruption and make decisions with greater foresight. A case study involving Kohl’s serves as a cautionary example, illustrating the financial consequences of ignoring real consumer signals and intentions captured by proprietary data. Ultimately, the source promotes the book as a playbook for executives, offering actionable recommendations for using emotional and intention-based signals to inform strategic planning and forecasting.

This podcast from Prosper Insights & Analytics presents the September 2025 consumer snapshot, summarizing key findings from their extensive survey of over 7,500 U.S. participants. The data reveals a paradoxical consumer landscape where confidence in the economy has declined, yet overall happiness has risen to its highest point in over ayear. Despite this improved mood, spending intentions are tempered by caution, with consumers actively seeking value through sales and store brands. The analysis also highlights behavioral shifts in retail, showing increased membership in services like Walmart+ and Amazon Prime, and provides predictive insights for marketers and investors regarding future consumer actions and market trends.

This podcast covers the August 2025 Consumer Snapshot report Prosper Insights & Analytics, a company specializing in consumer intent data and predictive analytics. This podcast summarizes findings from their ongoing monthly survey, which gathers information from over 7,500 US participants on a wide range of consumer behaviors, motivations, and future purchase plans. Highlights include consumer sentiment, spending intentions, and responses to economic pressures in August 2025, noting a slight increase in confidence despite persistent caution and a dip in overall happiness due to rising costs. The data also reveals shifts toward value-conscious shopping behaviors and provides insights for marketers and investors on navigating the evolving consumer landscape.

Banks, AI, and Consumer Trust: Bridging the Gap

The podcast covers an article by Gary Drenik for Forbes, that explores the current landscape of consumer financial needs and the banking sector's role in addressing them. It highlights that while consumers increasingly seek personalized financial guidance amid economic uncertainty, many banks are falling short in delivering this. The podcast emphasizes that banks are investing in AI to offer tailored advice through digital channels, recognizing the opportunity to strengthen customer relationships. However, a significant challenge remains: consumers, despite trusting their banks, harbor concerns about AI's use of their personal data. Therefore, the piece concludes that banks must prioritize secure and transparent AI solutions to bridge this trust gap and leverage AI's full potential for personalized financial services.

The Good Data Dividend: Fueling AI Success

This podcast covers an article from Forbes, authored by Gary Drenik of Prosper Insights & Analytics, centering on the critical importance of data integrity for businesses utilizing Artificial Intelligence. It highlights how flawed or unreliable data can lead to significant financial losses—averaging $443,550 for U.S. organizations in the past year—and misguided strategic decisions. Conversely, the podcast introduces the concept of a "good data dividend," illustrating that investing in robust information management systems can result in substantial revenue increases, with U.S. organizations reporting an average 10.8% rise. The podcast emphasizes that proactive data management strategies, such as eliminating redundant data, automating quality checks, and embedding security, are essential for maximizing AI's potential and gaining a competitive advantage.

This podcast  presents a summary of findings from Prosper Insights & Analytics' ongoing monthly survey of over 7,500 U.S. consumers. This July 2025 consumer snapshot focuses on consumer behavior, motivations, and future purchasing plans, utilizing unique question formats to gather emotional and psychological insights. The July 2025 snapshot highlights a modest increase in consumer confidence and sentiment, alongside a slight rise in spending intentions for categories like travel and home improvements. However, it also notes persistent inflation fatigue, particularly concerning gasoline prices, and a weak outlook for auto sales, indicating cautious spending habits. The report suggests that marketers should balance value and emotional engagement in their messaging, while investors should monitor growth in membership-based retail platforms like Amazon Prime and Walmart+.

AI Incident Management: The Indispensable Human Element.

The podcast covers an article by Gary Drenik from Forbes, discussing the crucial role of human empathy and judgment in AI-driven incident management. While AI excels at rapid detection and technical issue identification, it lacks the ability to provide business context or understand the "why" behind an incident. The podcast emphasizes that humans are essential for strategic decision-making, effective communication with stakeholders, and orchestrating a holistic response that considers regulatory, reputational, and client-specific implications. Ultimately, it argues that the most successful approach involves a partnership where AI augments human capabilities, allowing humans to focus on the invaluable aspects of contextual awareness and strategic leadership.