Nesta - AI Companions Research - Participant Information Sheet

AI Companions Research

Participant Information Sheet

Introduction
This information sheet is to help you decide if you would like to take part in this research. It describes what the research is about and what it will involve. Please take time to read this information carefully.

Who are we and what’s the purpose of this study?

Nesta's Centre for Collective Intelligence helps people take part in the big decisions that shape our shared futures. We believe the best decisions come from many voices, not just the loudest ones. We exist to help governments, public agencies, and charities to make better, faster, and fairer decisions, guided by the collective intelligence of the people they serve. We are a part of Nesta, the UK’s social innovation agency.

This research aims to understand people’s changing uses of and relationship to artificial intelligence (AI). We are interested in learning how people interact with “general-purpose” AI tools such as chatGPT, Claude and Gemini, and specialised companion apps like Replika and Character.ai, how they feel about these interactions and the impact this is having on their lives.
This interview is part of the pilot phase of our project to help us refine our research focus for future phases.

Why have I been invited to take part?

We are very interested in speaking to members of the general public about this topic - that means you! We’ll be interviewing people from a range of backgrounds and with a range of attitudes towards AI.

We are working in partnership with Google Deep Mind. Taking part in this research will not impact your consumer rights.

What happens if you take part in the study?

If you decide to take part in the interview, it will be held online, and it will take approximately 60mins. During the interview, we would like to discuss your views on and experiences of using AI in ways that may feel personal and supportive.

This discussion will help us design the next stage of our research project, where we’ll be bringing people together in small groups to talk about their experiences. As a thank you for your time, you will receive a payment of £30. This will be distributed by Roots Research on our behalf.

Why should I take part?

You do not have to take part in the interview, but it would be very helpful for us if you do. We will use the information to inform the design of further research on this topic, including refining research questions or developing materials for future research participants to react to. You can refuse to answer any questions you are not comfortable with.

What will happen to my information?

We will use the information you give us to help us design the next phase of the research where we plan to run focus groups about people’s use of and interactions with AI. We might use your words in presentations and publications, but will never use your name. The information you provide will be held in confidence and only quoted anonymously.

Your information will be held anonymously on a secure file. This means that your name will not be stored in the same file as your interview notes. Only members of the research team and our partners at Google DeepMind will have access to your interview notes.

All personal data will be treated with strictest confidence by Nesta in accordance with the requirements of the UK General Data Protection Regulation and all other relevant laws. Please see the Privacy Notice for detailed information regarding your data.

If we hear about a serious risk to somebody’s safety then we will need to act to protect them. If this happens, we may need to break confidentiality and pass information to appropriate services. We would talk to you before doing this, and only with support from the safeguarding lead at Nesta.

What happens if I don’t want to take part, or if I change my mind?

You do not have to take part in the study, and if you do take part you can change your mind at any time. If you decide to leave the study you do not have to tell us why, although it is helpful if you do. If you leave the study before the interview, all of the information you have provided will be deleted. If you leave during or after the interview, you can ask that we delete all the information you have provided. After we complete the interview your information will be anonymised, and we will not be able to delete it, but we will not contact you again.

What will happen to the results of the study?

The results of the interview will be analysed to inform further stakeholder engagement on the topic of people’s interactions and relationships with AI technology.

Questions?
If you have any questions, concerns or would like further information, please contact: Kate Furber [email protected]

Thank you

Nesta, 58 Victoria Embankment, London, EC4Y 0DS
Registered as a charity in England and Wales 1144091 and Scotland SC042833

Participant Consent Form

Consent form

Please read each statement carefully, and tick yes if you agree with it.

Please tick one:
I have read and understood the information sheet. Yes No

I have been able to ask questions and have received satisfactory
answers. Yes No

I agree that this interview can be audio-recorded and transcribed
using AI. Yes No

I agree that my words can be quoted anonymously in
presentations and reports about this project. Yes No

I understand that the information I give will remain confidential
unless it suggests that someone is at risk of serious harm. Yes No

I understand that I can withdraw my consent to take part in this
interview until the data is anonymised. Yes No

I agree to take part in this interview. Yes No

There should be two signed copies of this consent form, one for the participant and one retained by the researcher for their records.

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Timestamp

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March 19, 2026 11:07 am BST

Nesta - AI Companions Research - Participant Information Sheet Uploaded by Georgie Chaffey - [email protected] IP 86.132.124.118

March 19, 2026 11:41 am BST

Take Part - [email protected] added by Georgie Chaffey - [email protected] as a CC'd Recipient Ip: 86.132.124.118