Future of UX | Your Design, Tech and User Experience Podcast | AI Design #126 Synthetic Users in UX Research: Hype, Reality, and the Future of Design
Oct 2, 2025
Explore the intriguing world of synthetic users in design! Discover how these AI-generated personas are created and their current applications in UX research. Learn about the benefits they offer, like speed and cost-effectiveness, as well as the serious risks, including bias and emotional disconnect. The discussion delves into ethical concerns and the evolution of synthetic users, suggesting a hybrid approach for designers. Is it possible to replace real human insights? Tune in to find out!
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What Synthetic Users Are
- Synthetic users are AI-generated interactive personas that can be interviewed like real users.
- They differ from static personas, protopersonas, prototypes, and digital twins in fidelity and interactivity.
How To Build Synthetic Users
- Create synthetic users by ingesting data, defining targets, simulating behavior, and enabling interaction.
- Use platforms that support multi-agent interviews and provide instant transcripts and reports for analysis.
Best Use Cases For Synthetic Users
- Synthetic users shine in desk research, hypothesis generation, and fast summaries of public sentiment.
- They let teams explore niche or hard-to-reach segments quickly before committing to costly research.