Search and research are complementary.
Search helps an agent find information that already exists. Research helps it investigate an unanswered question, test an assumption, or learn something directly from the people affected by a decision.
A market summary may explain a category. It may not explain why your buyers hesitate at your price, which message they understand, or what would make them switch. Those questions need a connection to the relevant audience.
Give the agent a research loop.
- Define the decision and the audience.
- Query existing customer understanding.
- Identify what remains uncertain.
- Choose new interviews or a simulation for the next step.
- Return the findings in a form the workflow can use.
Keep appropriate human review around research scope, interpretation, and consequential business actions. A tool call can make research accessible without making every conclusion automatic.
Connect with the API or MCP.
Gather exposes research through a REST API and MCP connection. The same customer understanding can support teams through Gather and Emma in Slack, and agents through a programmatic interface.
Start with the API quickstart or explore the real interview process.