Optimizing Our AI Agents for Market Research: Treat Them Like 5th Graders

Generative AI models as 5th grade students used by STRATEGENCE to highlight AI insights, prompting, and the ART + RAG method for market research innovation.

We examined more than 30 frontier generative AI models to understand how they work, where they shine, and where they stumble. We tested how to optimize them within our market insights and innovations workstream. What we discovered is that even the best, what we call genius agents, still need considerable guidance. They may be brilliant, but left on their own, they can quickly drift.

Outdumbing the AI Agents for Market Research

The key to maximizing their potential is to outdumb them. By outdumb, we mean treating these genius AI agents like elementary students. We break things down, asking pointed but straightforward questions, adding context, and prompting step by step until their answers truly add up. Prompting is not just about what we ask; it is about how we ask it. A vague question can lead to an ambiguous answer, or worse, a false one. A clear, structured prompt sets boundaries and gives the agent the context it needs to provide something useful.

Now meet our 5th-grade class of genius agents. I’ve personified each with quirks, strengths, and report cards to bring their characteristics to life.

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Meet the Genius Agents

ChatGPT

The "teacher's pet" or the kid who raises his hand before the question ends. He's friendly, eager to please, and happy to explain anything, even if he's unsure. In those moments, he confidently makes things up. "I don't know" isn't in his vocabulary. He is easy to talk to and responds eloquently to any question or request.

Report Card

• Participation (A+): Always eager, sometimes even before the question is finished. Loves to talk and keeps the class lively.

• Communication (A): Handles verbal prompts better than anyone, responds eloquently, and explains clearly.

• Creativity (A): Can spin up stories, ideas, and explanations at lightning speed. Sometimes creativity crosses into “making things up.”

• Accuracy (B): Confident even when wrong. Struggles to admit “I don’t know.” Needs fact-checking from classmates.

• Reliability (B+): Solid for most tasks, but works best with clear, structured prompts. Without them, he can wander.

  
  

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Gemini

The multi-talented kid who excels in many areas. She answers questions, sketches in the margins, and hums during quiet work. Despite this, she still aces the math quiz. She's the go-to partner for group projects. She explains problems, draws diagrams, and presents slideshows all on her own. Sometimes, she takes on too much at once. Still, her skill in juggling words, visuals, and ideas makes her very impressive.

Report Card

• Participation (A): Eager to contribute in every subject, from math to art. Always juggling multiple tasks.

• Communication (A–): Explains problems clearly, often with diagrams or visual aids.

• Creativity (A+): Excels at blending words, visuals, and ideas.

• Accuracy (B+): Strong overall, but details sometimes get jumbled when balancing too many things at once.

• Reliability (A): Dependable group partner, though can overcommit and leave projects feeling a little rushed.

  
  

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Claude(t) Sonnet

The quiet poet of the class. She is polite, thoughtful, and always looking for deeper meaning in her homework. When assigned a 100-word book report, she turns in a three-page letter to the author about how the story made her feel. She sometimes overthinks simple math, lost in thoughts about why math exists. She is the classmate that can be counted on for kind words, helpful advice, and the occasional philosophical question at recess.

Report Card

• Participation (B+): Polite and respectful in class, but raises her hand only when she feels she has something meaningful to say.

• Communication (A): Writes long, heartfelt essays instead of short answers. Clear, thoughtful, and empathetic in her responses.

• Creativity (A): Sees deeper meaning in every assignment. Can turn even a math problem into a story about life and fairness.

• Accuracy (B+): Strong at comprehension and reasoning, but sometimes overcomplicates simple problems.

• Reliability (A): Always dependable for advice, kind words, or thoughtful feedback. A steady classmate everyone trusts.

  
  

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Grok

The class clown with a sharp mind. He answers questions with a grin and a joke. He often adds humor before giving the correct answer. Quick on his feet, he's always ready with a witty comeback. He still aces every test. Teachers laugh at his antics but wish he'd stay on topic. While he's quick to take a seat in the back of the class, teachers move him to the front where they can keep an eye on him and finish the lesson on time.

Report Card

• Participation (A): Always has his hand up, often with a grin and a joke before the real answer comes. Keeps the class entertained and engaged.

• Communication (B+): Witty and sharp, but sometimes trades polish for punchlines. He’s quick on his feet, though not as smooth or refined as Chat.

• Creativity (A): Strong when it comes to humor, personality, and clever spins. Less reliable for structured writing or polished work.

• Accuracy (B–): Smart, but his playful streak sometimes gets in the way of precision. He knows the answer but may hide it under a joke.

• Reliability (B–): Fun to have on your team, but teachers know they need to double-check his work. Best paired with classmates who keep him grounded.

  
  

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Perplexity

Nicknamed "The Professor," she's a curious kid with endless questions. If you share something, she'll ask, "Where did you hear that?" or "Can you prove it?" She enters class with three library books and a notepad, ready to check everyone's work. Before turning in her spelling homework, she cites her sources. She's the one to ask for settling debates and helping classmates find facts.

Report Card

• Participation (A): Always engaged, constantly raising her hand with follow-up questions. Never lets a statement go unchallenged.

• Communication (A–): Clear and precise, but sometimes bogs down classmates with “Can you prove it?” and “Where’s the source?”

• Creativity (B–): More focused on facts than imagination. Solid at connecting information, but not the best at spinning new stories or ideas.

• Accuracy (A): Strongest when it comes to sourcing and fact-checking. She rarely makes a claim without evidence.

• Reliability (A): Dependable for research and fact-heavy tasks, though her curiosity can make her responses a little long-winded.

  
  

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DeepSeek

The quietly brilliant international kid in the corner. In class photos, classmates ask each other if they even remember him being there. He rarely speaks unless called on, but when he does, his answers leave everyone impressed. He often slips in and out of class, borrows others' notes, and somehow finishes assignments in half the time. Partly out of envy and partly because of his secrecy, classmates sometimes think he's cheating.

Report Card

• Participation (B): Rarely speaks up unless called on, but when he does, the answers stop the room. Quiet but commanding.

• Communication (B+): Direct and to the point. Sometimes a bit blunt or minimal, but clear when precision matters.

• Creativity (B): More focused on efficiency and logic than imagination. Not the class storyteller, but excellent at structured problem-solving.

• Accuracy (A): Known for sharp reasoning and step-by-step logic. Often outperforms classmates when the task requires depth and rigor.

• Reliability (A): Finishes assignments in half the time with fewer notes. Teachers trust his work but occasionally double-check, given his secretive style.

  
  

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Our Method for Turning Genius into Useful Insights

So how do we take these quirky 5th AI agents for market research and channel their brilliance into insights we can trust? We apply a blend of ART (Alignment, Relevance, and Triangulation) and science + RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation).

Alignment

We match each genius agent with the right questions or requests, aligning with their domain expertise and strengths.

Relevance

This means asking the right questions and adding comments to guide the exchange. Vague questions bring ambiguous answers. Clear, consistent prompts with instructions provide the context needed. We break questions into smaller chunks, like with a 5th grader, and don't move on until they understand. The key is to slow down, guide, and layer prompts until the insights fit our needs.

Triangulation

Once we find the best agent to start with, we don’t take their word as final. We check results against other models, each tapped for their domain expertise and strengths. Just like asking a few classmates the same question, this overlap builds confidence and catches mistakes. Doing so keeps one genius from going off track and turns scattered knowledge into reliable, cohesive output.

From Agentic Models to Market Insights + Innovations

At STRATEGENCE, we don’t test new models for novelty. We put them to work where it matters: delivering sharper insights and smarter innovation for our clients. The 5th grader metaphor helps our team frame how to prompt, guide, and layer context, ensuring clarity before moving forward.

With the ART method, we turn fragmented outputs into reliable intelligence. It's about making the complex clear and transforming raw knowledge into market advantage. We extend this with Retrieval-Augmented Generation, enriching model outputs with proprietary insights and best practices built on 30 years of market research expertise. Doing so reduces hallucinations, grounds responses in evidence, and sharpens the quality of insights.

So, if someone asks whether I'm smarter than a 5th grader, I can confidently say "yes," but only because I've got a whole classroom of genius agents backing me up.

To learn more about our proprietary agentic workstream, MAI-A, and how we help clients save 30–40% in time and costs, book a free consultation here or email me at rsilvestre@strategence-us.com.