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Outset | The AI-Moderated Research Platform


Outset AI
Outset AI

Introduction

Outset.ai is an AI‑moderated research platform that automates qualitative interviews at scale—conducting video, audio, text, and usability sessions—while automatically synthesizing insights into themes, quotes, and highlight reels in hours instead of weeks.

Use Cases

  • Large‑Scale Qualitative Research
    Run hundreds of in-depth interviews simultaneously to uncover motivations and behaviors.
  • Usability & Prototype Testing
    Conduct user walkthroughs and gather feedback on Figma designs, websites, or products.
  • Marketing & Brand Research
    Test messaging, concepts, and creatives to explore audience response and brand perception.
  • Market Segmentation & Persona Discovery
    Analyze patterns in responses to identify trends and segment audiences faster.
  • Remote Interview Scalability
    Recruit and engage participants from anywhere, in any language, without moderation or timezone constraints.

Features & Benefits

  • AI-Moderated Interviews
    An AI moderator leads real-time conversations, asking follow-ups to probe deeper.
  • Instant Synthesis & Highlights
    Automatically generates themes, quotes, patches, and highlight videos from raw data.
  • Customizable Discussion Guides
    Design AI personalities and conversation flows, including moderation instructions.
  • Multimodal & Multilingual Support
    Supports video, audio, text, screen-sharing, and any language globally.
  • Recruitment Integration
    Integrates with User Interviews and Prolific, plus supports self-recruitment without additional fees.

Pros

  • Exceptional Speed
    Complete deep qualitative studies in hours, not weeks, with 10×–20× scale increase.
  • Cost Efficiency
    One person can run a full study, saving time and reducing research costs.
  • High-Quality Insights
    AI synthesizes themes and notable quotes without manual processing.
  • Global Reach
    Recruit participants anywhere and in multiple languages—no geographic or scheduling limitations.

Cons

  • AI vs. Human Moderator
    AI may miss certain emotional nuances or complex follow-up instincts that human moderators offer.
  • Platform Learning Curve
    Users need time to design effective discussion guides and customize AI interviewer personas.
  • Pricing Structure
    Annual subscription pricing varies by seats and usage, which may not be transparent upfront.

Tutorial

None

Pricing