AI probing in online research

AI probing is an innovative market research method in which artificial intelligence automatically asks smart and targeted follow-up questions based on respondents' answers. Instead of dwelling on short or superficial responses or working with pre-set follow-up questions, the AI asks further questions, just as an experienced researcher would do in an interview.

Thanks to our proprietary AI technology, we combine the scalability of online research with the depth of qualitative interviews. This allows us to get more out of every answer and deliver insights that are relevant.

The result: you not only discover what people think, but above all why they think that way. And all this within an online questionnaire, without the need for a full interview.

Why use AI probing in online research?

AI probing takes online research to the next level. Whereas we used to be stuck with standard questions or standard pre-programmed follow-up questions, our AI probing methods now offer the possibility to get to the heart of the answer by asking a number of follow-up questions.

This allows us to get to the heart of an answer more quickly. Instead of realizing afterwards that a response was too brief, we now get the most out of every answer during the research. Because our systems are developed entirely in-house, we can apply this method reliably, efficiently, and on a large scale. The result: richer data and deeper insights that significantly increase the quality of research.

How does AI probing work?

At Markteffect , we Markteffect AI probing in a wide range of research types, including customer satisfaction surveys, concept tests, and brand perception surveys. This innovative method consists of four logical steps that together provide deeper and more relevant insights.

1. Online questionnaire
Respondents answer open questions in an online questionnaire, as is customary in quantitative research. This forms the basis for the rest of the process.

2. AI-driven follow-up questions
Our specially trained AI model analyzes the answer immediately and asks follow-up questions in real time that are relevant to the context. These include questions such as:

"What exactly do you mean by ...?"
"Can you give an example of this experience?"
"Why is ... important to you?"

3. Enriched answers
The respondent immediately sees the follow-up questions and provides additional explanations. This results in a more complete and in-depth answer than with a standard questionnaire. Our Research Experts define clear frameworks and guidelines in advance, so that the AI asks targeted questions without the conversation straying or going on endlessly.

4. Analysis and reporting
The enriched data is then analyzed and translated into valuable insights into motivations, perceptions, and needs. These insights form a solid basis for strategic decision-making.

Want to know more about AI probing? Read our specialist's blog here.

Jeroen <span>Jansen</span>

Jeroen Jansen

Commercial Manager

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