South Africa, Feb. 19 -- Until recently, this was a topic that split the research world into opposing camps: those firmly against it, those enthusiastically for it, and a quieter group in the middle trying to work out what actually made sense in practice. Over the past year, that debate has shifted as our understanding of how to use it responsibly has matured and we see adoption rise.

What are AI-simulated humans (sometimes called virtual audiences or synthetic users)? They are AI-built personas that simulate real people in context, including their circumstances, needs, and decision styles. They combine advanced AI with behavioural science and psychology to help us understand how people think, feel, and choose, across different need stat...