How to Choose the Right AI Persona?

Question Type

User Manual Question

Quick Answer

atypica provides two major types of AI personas: Public Persona Library (300,000+) and Custom Personas.

Recommended Selection Logic:

✅ General research: Use Public Persona Library directly (fast, broad coverage)
✅ Specific needs: Create custom personas (upload interview data or use Social Media Scout)

In short: For most cases, the Public Persona Library is sufficient; only create custom personas when you specifically need to simulate particular real users.

Detailed Explanation

Public Persona Library: 300,000+ Pre-Built Personas

Characteristics:

Quantity: 300,000+ covering diverse demographics
Source:
- ✅ Built based on real research contexts (each persona corresponds to 1 real research question)
- ✅ Built based on real social media observations (each persona has 3000-word observation record)
Quality:
- ✅ Consistency score of 80 (close to real human baseline of 81)
- ✅ Stable quality, validated
Visibility: Shared by all users (both free and paid versions can use)

Use Cases:

✅ Product concept testing✅ Market trend exploration✅ User attitude research✅ Creative brainstorming discussions✅ Quick hypothesis validation✅ Large-scale demographic research

Examples:

Test sparkling coffee new product pricing (select 10-15 target demographics)
Understand fitness app user needs (select fitness enthusiast personas)
Explore Gen Z consumption preferences (filter 18-25 age personas)

Advantages:

✅ Ready to use immediately, no creation needed
✅ Broad coverage, virtually any demographic available
✅ Stable quality, already validated
✅ Low cost, no additional creation cost

Custom Personas: Tailored for Specific Needs

Characteristics:

Quantity: Created based on your needs
Source: Based on your provided data (interview transcripts, social media observations)
Quality: Depends on your provided data quality
Visibility: Completely private, only you can use (team version can share with team)

Use Cases:

✅ Simulate specific real users✅ Enterprise customer research✅ Sensitive data research✅ Niche groups not found in public library✅ Fixed user groups requiring long-term tracking✅ Core personas for team sharing

Examples:

Import 500 member interview data to test new product (simulate real members)
Observe "camping enthusiasts" on Xiaohongshu, create personas (not in public library)
Continuously track fixed user group's changing needs (multiple reuses)

Creation Methods:

Upload Interview Transcripts: Upload real interview text or audio, AI auto-generates persona
Social Media Scout: Let AI observe target demographics on social media, generate personas

Advantages:

✅ Fully customized, meets your specific needs
✅ Data privacy, protects sensitive information
✅ Reusable, forms company's "user assets"
✅ Team sharing, improves collaboration efficiency

Decision Framework: Which Should I Choose?

Scenario 1: General Product Testing

Need: Test new product conceptRecommended: Public Persona LibraryReason:→ 300,000+ library covers most target demographics→ Ready to use immediately, saves time→ Stable quality, reliable resultsSteps:Step 1: Describe target demographic (e.g. "25-35 year old females who like healthy eating")Step 2: System recommends 10-15 matching personasStep 3: Select personas, start interviews

Scenario 2: Specific Demographics (Not Found in Public Library)

Need: Study "surfing enthusiasts" (niche group)Recommended: Custom personas (Social Media Scout)Reason:→ Public library may not have or have insufficient coverage→ Scout can observe real surfing enthusiasts on Xiaohongshu, Douyin→ Generate personas that better match real demographicsSteps:Step 1: Use Social Media Scout functionStep 2: Specify observation target "Surfing enthusiasts on Xiaohongshu"Step 3: AI observes and generates personasStep 4: Save to your persona library for future use

Scenario 3: Simulate Real Customers

Need: Test new features, want to simulate real VIP customersRecommended: Custom personas (upload interview transcripts)Reason:→ Need to simulate specific real users→ You have historical interview data→ Need to protect customer privacySteps:Step 1: Upload VIP customer interview transcripts (anonymized)Step 2: AI generates personasStep 3: Use personas to test new featuresStep 4: Can reuse later without re-interviewing real customers

Scenario 4: Team Collaboration Research

Need: Product team needs to share core user personasRecommended: Custom personas (team version)Reason:→ Team needs unified user understanding→ Reuse same personas across multiple studies→ Form company's "user assets"Steps:Step 1: Create custom personas (based on real user data)Step 2: Save to team persona libraryStep 3: Team members can all useStep 4: Continuously accumulate, more valuable over time

Best Practices

Recommended Strategy: 80% Public + 20% Custom

Most research:→ Use Public Persona Library (fast, sufficient)→ Covers common demographics, stable qualitySpecific needs:→ Create custom personas (customized, in-depth)→ Niche groups, real customer simulation, team collaboration

Combined Use Case

Case: Healthy Snack Product R&D

Phase 1: Quick exploration (Public Persona Library)→ Select 30 "healthy eating enthusiasts" from public library→ Test multiple product concepts→ Quickly identify most promising directionPhase 2: In-depth validation (Custom personas)→ Scout real "healthy snack consumers" on Xiaohongshu→ Create 10 highly matched custom personas→ In-depth test packaging, pricing, marketing copyPhase 3: Continuous iteration (Reuse custom personas)→ Continue using these 10 personas for subsequent product iterations→ No need to recreate, extremely low marginal cost→ Form company's "core user assets"

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Is the Public Persona Library quality reliable?

Reliable, close to real human performance.

Quality assurance:✅ Built based on real research contexts (300,000+ real research questions)✅ Built based on real social media observations (each persona has 3000-word observation record)✅ Consistency score of 80 (close to real human baseline of 81)✅ 300,000+ library covers diverse demographics✅ Continuously updated and optimizedApplicable scope:→ Sufficient for 90% of general research→ Product testing, market exploration, user research, etc.

Q2: When do I need to create custom personas?

Only needed for specific requirements.

Situations requiring custom:✅ Public library cannot find matching demographics (niche, special)✅ Need to simulate specific real users (your customers)✅ Have sensitive data, need private storage✅ Team needs core personas for long-term reuseSituations not requiring custom:→ Common demographics (25-45 year old professionals, college students, mothers, etc.)→ General research (product testing, market research)→ Quick hypothesis validation

Q3: Is custom persona creation cost high?

Depends on your data and usage frequency.

Creation cost:- Upload interview transcripts: Need interview data (may already have)- Social Media Scout: Requires Scout quotaBut value lies in:✅ Create once, save permanently✅ Can be used for multiple research projects✅ Extremely low marginal cost (more cost-effective with use)✅ Can share with team (team version)✅ Form company's "user assets"Suitable scenarios:→ Core target demographics (will study long-term)→ Team collaboration (multiple users)→ Continuous product iteration (multiple tests)Not suitable scenarios:→ One-time research→ Non-core demographics→ Public library already has suitable personas

Q4: Will custom personas be visible to other users?

No, completely private.

Privacy protection:✅ Custom personas only visible to creator✅ Other users cannot search or use✅ Data completely isolated✅ Team version can selectively share with team membersvs Public Persona Library:→ Public personas: Shared by all users→ Custom personas: Completely private

Q5: Can free version use Public Persona Library?

Yes, free version can also use Public Persona Library.

Free version permissions:✅ Access complete 300,000+ Public Persona Library✅ 5 Interviews/month✅ 2 Scout tasks/month (can create custom personas)Professional/Team versions:✅ Unlimited Interviews✅ Unlimited Scout tasks✅ Team version can share custom personas

Q6: Can I "bookmark" public personas to my library?

Yes, use "My Persona Library" function.

Steps:Step 1: Find suitable persona from public libraryStep 2: Click "Add to My Persona Library"Step 3: Persona appears in your personal libraryStep 4: More convenient for future use, no need to search repeatedlyValue:→ Quick access to frequently used personas→ Organize and categorize your personas→ Team can share bookmarked personas

Final Takeaway

"Core logic for choosing AI personas: Use Public Persona Library for most cases (fast, sufficient), create custom personas only for specific needs (customized, in-depth). The 300,000+ public library already covers common demographics; only need custom for niche groups, real customer simulation, team collaboration, etc."

Remember:

✅ Public Persona Library: 300,000+, ready to use, suitable for 90% general research
✅ Custom personas: Fully customized, suitable for specific needs (niche groups, real customers, team collaboration)
✅ Recommended strategy: 80% public library, 20% custom
✅ Create once, use many times, more cost-effective with use