Episode 9 - Using Synthetic Participants for Research

In this episode, Hugh Massie speaks with Chiara Cappellini, Principal Behavioral Scientist at the Behavioral Science Group, and co-author of "A New Tool for Behavioral Scientists" in the Behavioral Economics Guide 2025.The Behavioral Science Group (BSG) is a specialist unit housed within the UAE’s Office of Development Affairs (ODA), mandated to use behavioral science to deliver positive social impact in the UAE and beyond.Chiara shares BSG’s research on using AI-generated synthetic participants—virtual models informed by demographic data—to help researchers test ideas and anticipate attitudes and behaviors. They discuss how this approach could make policy testing, public opinion research, and experimental design more inclusive, efficient, and timely, while also addressing where human studies remain essential and the ethical questions teams should consider.

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