Moderated (Chat): AI Follow-Up Interviews in Surveys

Moderated (Chat) is an AI-powered question type that lets you add follow-up questions to any question in your survey. You choose the question, define what you want to learn, and QuestionPro AI holds a short text interview with each respondent, based on the original question and the answer they gave.

When the interview ends, the respondent continues with the rest of the survey. You collect each key answer together with the reasoning behind it, in the same survey and project.

Moderated (Chat) is the next generation of Deep Dive. It is the first format of the Interview question type. Interview (Voice) and Interview (Video) are planned for upcoming releases.

1. You add an Interview question to your survey and choose Chat.

2. You choose a mode. In Follow-up mode, the interview builds on an answer the respondent has already given. In Independent mode, it starts from an opening question you write.

3. You set learning objectives, moderator instructions and a maximum number of follow-ups.

4. When a respondent reaches the question, QuestionPro AI asks your opening question and follows up when a reply is vague, until the learning objective is met or the follow-up limit is reached.

5. The respondent returns to the survey and continues from the next question.

Before you begin, you need:

• Moderated (Chat) enabled on your account. It is currently in Beta, so contact your account manager to turn it on.
• Enough QuestionPro AI credits to cover the responses you expect. Each chat uses one credit.
• A survey that meets the setup requirements described in Survey setup requirements below.

1. Open your survey in the survey editor.

2. Select Add Question, then Advanced, then Interview.

3. Choose Chat.

Place the question directly after the question you want to follow up on. An Interview question cannot be the first question on a page or the last question in the survey.

Choose how the interview begins.

In Follow-up mode, select the source question from the list.

The opening question is the first thing the respondent sees in the interview. In Follow-up mode, you can insert the respondent's answer into it so the interview begins with their own words.

Can you tell me more about ${Q115}?

Replace Q115 with the ID of your source question. In Independent mode, write an opening question that introduces the topic you want to explore.

Three settings guide how QuestionPro AI conducts every interview.

Moderated (Chat) uses one QuestionPro AI credit per chat. The editor shows your remaining balance and how many more chats it covers, so the cost is clear before you publish. If you need more, you can buy credits from the editor.

For example, if 500 respondents reach one Interview question, the survey uses 500 credits. If a survey has more than one Chat question, each chat a respondent takes uses one credit.

When a respondent reaches the Interview question, the conversation opens on ListenAI, using the same hand-off as Platform Connect. Their position in the survey is tracked.

QuestionPro AI asks the opening question, then follows up based on the reply. If a reply is vague, such as "it was fine", it asks a relevant follow-up question. Once the conversation ends, the respondent returns to the question immediately after the Interview question and continues the survey.

For example, a respondent rates onboarding 4 out of 10. QuestionPro AI asks what part of the setup felt difficult. The respondent says the verification step was slow and rejected their phone number. QuestionPro AI then asks whether they saw an error message or the step was only delayed.

Because the interview uses the same hand-off as Platform Connect, the following apply:

• The Interview question cannot be the first question on a page or the last question in the survey.
• Block randomization and question randomization are not supported.
• Survey security must be set to none. Password-protected and invite-only surveys are not supported.

Keep learning objectives specific. A clear objective keeps the conversation focused on the detail you need rather than general discussion.

Cap follow-ups at two or three. This balances depth of feedback with survey completion rates.

Use moderator instructions to match your brand voice, for example empathetic, neutral or direct.

Avoid adding an Interview question to short, transactional surveys, or to questions with an obvious answer, where a conversation adds little. If your study requires identical, scripted wording for every respondent across waves, use a standard question instead.

Deep Dive added AI follow-up to single-select questions as an on/off setting. Moderated (Chat) replaces it as a dedicated question type. It can follow up on any earlier answer or start independently, and you control the learning objectives, moderator style and length of each conversation.

For anything else, contact your account manager.

Which formats are available? Moderated (Chat) is available now. Interview (Voice) and Interview (Video) are planned for upcoming releases. Setup will stay the same, and only the way respondents answer will change.

Does QuestionPro AI always ask the maximum number of follow-ups? No. It decides how many are needed within the limit you set.

Can I add more than one Chat question to a survey? Yes. Each chat a respondent takes uses one credit.

Where does the interview take place? On ListenAI, using the same mechanism as Platform Connect. The respondent returns to the survey once the conversation ends.