Forrester Research Focuses on AI as Revenue Declines

Company plans to rebrand flagship AI tool, exit strategy consulting, and shift events model amid restructuring.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Forrester Research (NASDAQ:FORR) executives said the company is leaning further into artificial intelligence as both a product opportunity and a differentiator for its research franchise, even as it works through contract value and revenue declines and restructures parts of its consulting and events businesses.

Why it matters

Forrester's shift to AI reflects the growing importance of the technology for enterprises, but the company is also facing headwinds as it navigates a challenging market environment, including declining revenue and the need to restructure parts of its business.

The details

Forrester plans to rebrand its flagship AI tool from Izola to 'Forrester AI' as it expands beyond question-and-answer use cases. The company is also exiting its strategy consulting business due to instability in U.S. federal government contracts and an increasingly competitive market. For events, Forrester is moving away from longer multi-day events that require substantial travel, and instead plans to shift toward shorter, more intimate forums held closer to clients.

  • Forrester reported Q4 2025 and full-year 2025 earnings on February 14, 2026.
  • The company announced a restructuring affecting 8% of employees on February 9, 2026.
  • Forrester expects to execute an existing backlog of strategy consulting work through 2026.

The players

Forrester Research, Inc.

A leading global research and advisory firm that provides insights and guidance to business and technology leaders.

George Colony

CEO of Forrester Research.

Chris Finn

CFO of Forrester Research.

Carrie Johnson

Chief product officer of Forrester Research.

Christophe Favre

New chief sales officer of Forrester Research.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

“Clients are operating under 'a new paradigm shaped by AI,' with growing complexity across buying decisions, customer experience journeys, and technology adoption.”

— George Colony, CEO (Forrester Research earnings call)

“We are focused on giving clients 'more ways to buy from us' and more ways for Forrester to be 'embedded in where they work.'”

— Carrie Johnson, Chief product officer (Forrester Research earnings call)

“An 'AI Surge' of improvements is scheduled for the first half of 2026.”

— George Colony, CEO (Forrester Research earnings call)

What’s next

Forrester plans to return to contract value growth in 2026, driven by initiatives including consistent execution of its retention life cycle, introduction of more product options (including embedded Forrester AI), improved go-to-market execution, and more actionable 'all-seasons' research with additional proprietary data.

The takeaway

Forrester's shift toward AI and away from strategy consulting and large events reflects the changing dynamics in the research and advisory industry, as enterprises grapple with the complexities of emerging technologies. The company's restructuring efforts aim to align its cost structure with revenue, but the path to growth remains challenging amid broader market headwinds.