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Sushma Panchawati, co-founder of Pre-Data AI, challenges the idea of one-size-fits-all research, highlights the dangers of a “single story” narrative, and inspires a new way to think about technology’s role in insights work.

In this episode of Insights from Elsewhere, host Cynthia Portugal talks to Sushma Panchawati, co-founder of Pre-Data AI, about her fascinating journey from robotics engineering to leading insights work across Asia Pacific, Brazil, and beyond.

What you’ll discover in this episode:

  • Advice for future researchers: Why openness, empathy, and embracing contradictions are critical skills for anyone entering the insights world today.
  • Finding common threads in emerging markets: Hear surprising cultural parallels between markets like India, Kenya, and Brazil — and why these matter when building global strategies.
  • The power of context in research: Why “GenPop” approaches fall flat in diverse countries, and how deep cultural nuances shape truly meaningful insights.
  • AI beyond efficiency: AI as a tool to deepen understanding rather than just speed up processes — and the risks of Western bias in large language models.

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