Ipsos Unveils €1.2bn AI Plan in Horizons Strategy

Ipsos Launches Horizons Transformation Strategy

Ipsos has presented a new strategic plan, Horizons, aimed at returning the company to a sustained pace of growth and reinforcing its position in global market research and opinion polling. The strategy, led by CEO Jean‑Laurent Poitou and approved by the board, targets an annual organic growth rate of 5% or more in 2028 and an operating margin of 13.5% that year, which the company describes as a record level.

Horizons is built on six pillars, including harnessing the company’s multi‑specialist service model and strengthening its ability to operate globally while maintaining a strong local footprint. Ipsos currently operates in 90 countries and plans to accelerate the development and adoption of global platforms and services, while deepening local expertise to ensure the relevance of insights for clients.

The strategy also commits Ipsos to deliver insights much faster, with a medium‑term goal of real‑time production, analysis and sharing for some projects, and within 48 hours for most others. This focus on speed is tied directly to changes in platforms and processes across the business, and is intended to support clients’ need for rapid, well‑informed decisions.

€1.2 Billion Investment in AI and Acquisitions

In parallel with Horizons, Ipsos plans to invest €1.2 billion over five years in artificial intelligence and acquisitions, according to CEO Jean‑Laurent Poitou. The investment will be split between targeted acquisitions of specific technologies and improvements to Ipsos’ internal capabilities, with a particular emphasis on increasing the proportion of data scientists and AI engineers in its talent pool.

Ipsos already employs more than 1,000 data scientists and AI engineers and intends to focus its AI efforts on commercial research, which represents the bulk of its revenue, rather than political polling, which is a smaller service line. The company plans to develop or acquire most of its core technologies, while remaining open to partnerships if they accelerate progress or better align with financial objectives.

The firm primarily uses data it owns, such as from syndicated studies sold to multiple clients, to train its AI models. For proprietary studies commissioned by individual clients, contractual agreements determine data ownership, establishing a framework for how those datasets can be used in AI applications.

AI as a Differentiating Lever in Market Research

A central pillar of Horizons is Ipsos’ plan to use its mastery of AI as a differentiating lever in the market research industry. The company says it will increase AI investment to gain speed, agility and productivity, while preserving data quality and the relevance of analysis. This is intended to support its stated ambition of becoming the AI‑augmented global market research leader.

Ipsos links its AI ambitions closely to its proprietary respondent panels, which it sees as a key competitive advantage. According to the strategy, access to real respondents enables real‑time detection of behavioural changes and is considered essential for the proper use of AI‑generated synthetic data, underscoring the complementarity between traditional sample‑based research and newer AI techniques.

By transforming data into what it describes as impactful and actionable insights, Ipsos aims to be an indispensable partner for clients facing rapid decision‑making needs. The company positions this role as enabling high‑value information for decisions that are both time‑sensitive and focused on generating value.

Global Reach and Local Expertise Remain Core

Beyond AI and technology, Ipsos’ Horizons plan emphasizes the continued importance of its global network combined with local market knowledge. Operating in 90 countries, Ipsos intends to further leverage its international scale while strengthening local teams’ capabilities to address country‑specific and regional needs.

The company highlights its multi‑specialist structure, which allows it to address diverse client information needs across topics and geographies, as a foundation for selective growth. Under Horizons, Ipsos says it will actively operate and prioritize those services with the most significant potential, aligning resource allocation with areas expected to deliver stronger growth and profitability.