In a recent LinkedIn post, Teresa Torres discusses her experiments with building an AI interviewer, aiming to improve upon existing tools and explore new avenues for qualitative research. Inspired by the scale of tools like Anthropic’s Interviewer but dissatisfied with their output quality, Torres set out to create a better-performing AI for conducting interviews.
The Genesis of an AI Interviewer
Torres shared her initial findings, noting that early experiments are promising. She plans to gather more data over the coming weeks, with a detailed blog post on the subject slated for January. The core motivation, as highlighted in her post, is to leverage AI not as a replacement for human interaction in interviews, but as a novel research activity that bridges the gap between traditional interviewing and surveying.
“I think this is an exciting use of AI. Not to replace humans interviewing humans. I think that will always be important. But as a new research activity that sits somewhere between interviewing and surveying.”
Scaling Qualitative Insights
A central question Torres is exploring is whether qualitative insights can be gathered at scale using this technology. She expresses optimism, stating, “I think the answer is probably yes.” Furthermore, Torres suggests that AI interviewers could serve a crucial role in identifying individuals for deeper engagement, acting as a preliminary filter to pinpoint those whom human researchers should prioritize for more in-depth conversations.
According to Torres, this approach could also democratize research participation:
“I think it might be a way for more voices to be heard.”
Addressing Initial Skepticism
Torres admits to initial reservations about the concept of AI interviewing humans. She initially felt it could send the wrong message, implying a lack of genuine interest from the researcher’s side. However, her perspective has evolved as she’s observed positive reception from participants and the significant engagement Anthropic received.
She elaborates on this shift:
“When I first heard this idea of AI interviewing humans, I didn’t like it. I thought it communicated the wrong message. ‘I want to learn from you, but not enough to spend my own time learning from you.’ But I’ve heard several people express they enjoyed the experience of being interviewed by AI. And Anthropic got 1250 people to participate.”
Evaluating AI as a Research Tool
As a result of these promising developments and participant feedback, Teresa Torres is now actively evaluating AI interviewing as a potential new tool within the broader research landscape. She is assessing its place and utility within the existing ‘toolbox’ of research methods, promising further insights in her upcoming blog posts.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Teresa Torres on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on December 15, 2025 | View original post on LinkedIn →