The Synthetic Respondents Revolution in Market Research

What is a synthetic respondent in market research?

Synthetic respondents are virtual panelists created using advanced AI models. These digital personas are built to mirror the demographic, psychographic, and behavioral characteristics of real people. They can participate in surveys, provide feedback, and even be “matched” to real respondents through a process called digital twinning.

The goal of synthetic respondents? To produce valuable, actionable insights without the recruitment hurdles, fatigue, or attrition associated with traditional human respondents.

Are synthetic respondents based on real data?

AI-generated virtual personas mirror real people’s demographic, psychographic, and behavioral traits and can participate in certain types of research engagements, such as surveys and individual and group chats.

What types of synthetics are researchers using for market research?

Synthetics can be created and used in a number of ways. Here are 3 of the main approaches to synthetics:

1. Pure Synthetics: Fully AI-generated respondents, built from scratch using census data and behavioral modeling. These can represent any segment of the population and are available on demand. Bellomy’s panel of synthetic respondents was built by our in-house team of developers and insights technology experts. You can think of pure synthetics as composites that represent specific groups or target audiences. 
2. Digital Twinning: Synthetic versions of human respondents, trained to mimic their unique attitudes, sentiments, and answering patterns. Digital twins are especially useful for extending the value of hard-to-reach or high-value data from real humans. You can think of twins as virtual AI-powered copies of specific individuals. 
3. Scenario-Based Synthetics: Synthetic panelists placed in hypothetical or future situations, allowing researchers to test “what-if” scenarios and market changes.

Each type of synthetic has its strengths and is best suited for different research needs.

What are the benefits of using synthetic respondents in research?

Synthetic respondents are transforming the way market researchers approach data collection and analysis for their speed and scale, representative coverage, endurance, rich data profiles, ability to test scenarios, and real world data power with Digital Twinning methodology. When used correctly, they are also ethical and secure.

"With synthetic data, the boundaries of what we can test and learn expand beyond what the real world can provide," said Carla Jordan, Bellomy's VP of Research Operations. "It’s an exciting new frontier, with opportunities to build valuable applications that complement a core focus on genuine participants."

Key benefits that make synthetics an attractive option for today’s research needs include the following:

Speed and Scale of Synthetic Responses

Synthetics are always available—there’s no need to wait for recruitment or worry about panelist fatigue.

If you need 1,000 responses overnight or want to run multiple studies simultaneously, synthetics can easily handle it. For example, researchers can complete an ad testing survey in hours instead of weeks using synthetics. This is possible with Bellomy’s synthetic panel.

Representative Coverage

Bellomy’s proprietary panel of synthetic respondents is designed to be representative of the US census, with coverage across more than 33,000 ZIP codes and a wide range of demographic and psychographic segments.

This allows researchers to fill sample gaps for hard-to-reach or niche populations, such as rural communities or very specific age or income brackets.

No Fatigue or Attrition with Artificial Intelligence 

Unlike human respondents, synthetics don’t get tired, bored, or drop out. This ensures consistent participation, even for longer or more complex surveys. You can run a 30-minute questionnaire without worrying about rushed answers or high drop-off rates affecting your results.

Rich Data Profiles

Bellomy’s synthetic panelists are each built with extensive demographic, psychographic, and behavioral information. This depth supports more nuanced analysis and understanding of specific groups, such as priority segments or other target audiences. For example, you can analyze how health-conscious millennials in urban areas might respond to a new product versus another demographic, using a synthetic persona representing that group.  

Ability to Test Scenarios

Synthetics can be placed in hypothetical situations, different time periods, or market conditions to test “what-if” scenarios. This is especially valuable for forecasting responses to future product launches, pricing changes, or shifts in consumer sentiment.

Real World Data Power with Digital Twinning

With digital twinning, you can match real respondents to synthetic counterparts. This approach extends the value of limited real-world data, such as feedback from a small group of early adopters or a target customer segment, by allowing you to see how they would respond to new questions, concepts, and potential market scenarios.

Ethical & Secure

With synthetics, we don’t have to worry about Personally Identifiable Information (PII) when conducting research engagements. Bellomy's synthetic panel is built with multiple watermarking and security techniques to ensure data integrity and prevent misuse. This commitment to transparency and responsible use is foundational to building trust in synthetic research.

As the integration of synthetic respondents becomes more common, it’s important to remember that these tools are meant to enhance—not replace—the human element in research. This perspective is echoed by industry leaders, including our internal experts at Bellomy.

"The AI revolution in market research is not about replacing humans, it is about amplifying what humans can do, reducing the friction often introduced by legacy methods," said Matt Gullett, Bellomy's VP of Insights Technology. "Synthetics provide a tool for researchers to use for refinement, iteration and adaptation so that the real people—researchers and respondents—can focus on what's most important, not the extraneous."