This episode was recorded LIVE at DDX, where Beyond The Interface hosted an on-stage conversation with Qaalfa Dibeehi, Partner at Human2Outcome.

Together, we unpack one of the most pressing questions facing design and research teams today:

Are synthetic personas and agentic AI reshaping the future of user research... or simply augmenting it?

In this conversation, we explore:

• What “agentic AI” actually means in practice

• How synthetic personas are evolving — and where they break

• The risks of bias amplification in AI-driven systems

• Ethics, privacy, and the responsibility of organizations using AI for research

• Whether AI reduces or magnifies blind spots in decision-making

• The role of human judgment in an increasingly automated world

• What this means for retail, omnichannel experiences, and customer trust

Rather than treating AI as hype or fear, this discussion takes a grounded approach, examining how research fundamentals still matter, even as the tools evolve.

If you’re working in product, design, research, CX, or AI strategy, this episode will challenge how you think about insight, governance, and the future of decision-making.

Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/qaalfa-dibeehi/

https://human2outcome.com/

https://www.ddxconference.com/

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Agentic AI and Synthetic Personas

02:04 The Evolution of Synthetic Personas in Research

06:00 Accuracy and Limitations of Synthetic Personas

10:04 Privacy Concerns in Data Usage

14:00 Ethics and Responsibility in Data Management

17:51 Diversity and Bias in AI Systems

21:46 The Future of Customer Experience with AI

26:09 Maintaining Human Touch in Research

29:50 Challenges in Implementing AI in Retail

34:02 Conclusion and Future Perspectives