Survey Finds Most Wary of AI Digital Twins
A Prolific survey of about 3,046 participants across 15 countries measured attitudes toward synthetic data and digital twins built from personal information.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Sex Life
Live Poll
Would you feel comfortable with an AI copy of you being built from your personal data?
Prolific surveyed around 3,046 participants across 15 countries about digital twins and synthetic data and published the findings in a whitepaper. Most respondents expressed discomfort with an AI-generated twin built from their personal data.
Why it matters
The findings suggest participants see synthetic data as a potential substitute for human involvement in research, raising questions about how their personal information may be used. Respondents also said they want control over their twins, including the ability to review and correct them.
In a survey of 3,046 participants across 15 countries, 74% said they were uncomfortable with an AI digital twin built from their personal data, while 51% said they would consider one under the right circumstances. The extraction does not specify which terms participants would require or how their views differed by country.
The players
Prolific
Prolific is a research platform that connects researchers with participants and conducted the survey on digital twins and synthetic data.
The details
Participants first read a short explanation of synthetic data, synthetic respondents, and digital twins and passed a comprehension check before answering. A choice experiment tested how they felt about a twin built from their data, what terms they would set for one, and which terms mattered most to them.
Timeline
• October 2026: Prolific ran the survey with 3,046 participants.
• November 3, 2026: Prolific published its findings in a whitepaper.
Market Landscape
The survey's findings add participant-side data to a growing debate over whether synthetic respondents and digital twins can stand in for human subjects in research. The 72% who agreed that synthetic data would reduce study availability for human participants frames the issue as one of access as well as privacy.
Readers who take part in online research panels may see digital twin consent terms in future studies and can ask how their data would be used. Respondents overwhelmingly wanted a say in how any twin is used and to be able to review it.
The takeaway
Ask for clear terms before agreeing to any study that could create a digital copy of you, including who owns it and whether you can review or correct it. The survey found most participants considered those controls essential.
Further reading
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Source note: This article includes information reported by Research Live.
Live Poll
Would you feel comfortable with an AI copy of you being built from your personal data?
