What is synthetic data boosting in simple terms?

It is a method that creates realistic, privacy-safe records to strengthen small samples. A diffusion model learns patterns from approved data, then generates new rows. A validation framework, like SURE, checks totals, correlations, and bias. The result is faster, stronger analysis without exposing personal identifiers.

How does this protect privacy under UK rules?

Synthetic records reduce the chance of reidentification because they are not direct copies of people. Good systems add governance, lineage, and bias checks. When combined with access controls and clear purpose limits, teams can share datasets internally while staying aligned with UK GDPR and ICO expectations.

Where should UK brands test it first?

Start with low-risk, high-impact tasks like concept testing, price experiments, or media planning. Use a small pilot to benchmark lift versus a real holdout. If results beat current methods on accuracy and speed, expand to segmentation and forecasting, adding audit logs and bias checks as usage grows.

How can investors gain exposure to this theme?

Look for research platforms and analytics vendors with strong validation, privacy tooling, and clear documentation. Governance and data workflow providers also benefit as adoption scales. Favour firms that publish metrics, integrate with survey systems, and show repeat deals. A basket across software and services helps spread risk.

Global Market Insights

January 31: Ipsos Bets on Synthetic Data as Privacy-Safe AI Scales

ByDanny Kontos February 1, 2026

Ipsos synthetic data is drawing attention in the UK as privacy-preserving AI enters mainstream research. The company’s “synthetic data boosting” promises larger, faster insights without exposing personal data. This matters for brands facing strict UK GDPR rules and tight budgets. We see early demand from consumer, finance, and health researchers. For investors, the trend points to analytics vendors, data infrastructure, and AI market research tools gaining share as buyers seek speed, scale, and compliance at a lower unit cost.