Program evaluation stands at a crossroads. Artificial intelligence is poised to automate many of the profession’s most time-consuming tasks - analyzing data, synthesizing findings, and even drafting reports - forcing evaluators to rethink how they deliver value. The change won’t be gradual: some studies suggest that up to half of current evaluation activities could be automated within a few years.
At Qatalyst Research Group, we’ve been confronting this shift head-on - integrating AI across our evaluation practice, building proprietary tools, and studying how technology is reshaping the discipline itself. In this article, we share what we’ve learned about the scale and speed of disruption underway, the implications for evaluators and firms, and the practical steps professionals can take now to stay relevant and competitive in the age of AI.
