Do you believe in step 0 of market research?

Hey Product Hunt,

There’s a massive trend right now of AI startups claiming they can completely replace human survey panels and user interviews. Honestly? I think that’s a dangerous promise.

Real human bank accounts, actual gut reactions, and lived experiences can't be coded. When it comes to final validation, nothing replaces talking to a real person.

But I do think there’s a massive, expensive gap before you hit the real market. I call it the "Step 0" problem.

As founders, we always fall into our own confirmation bias. We build our pitch decks and features in a vacuum, launch an expensive live human survey too early, waste a ton of money, and then realize we asked completely the wrong questions.

What if AI’s true power in research isn't replacing humans, but just acting as an instant sounding board?

Think of it like a local testing environment before you push to production. You use a simulated crowd to get an alternative perspective, poke holes in your messaging, and figure out what your blind spots are.

It won’t tell you if someone will open their wallet. But it will help you figure out exactly what to ask real people so you don't waste budget and weeks on vague human survey responses later. It's about being prepared before you spend real cash and time on live market research.

Where do you stand? Would you use an AI cohort to get that initial, rapid perspective on an idea, or are you strictly team human from day one? Let’s talk about it.