AI as Facilitator: How Voice‑mode ChatGPT Ran a High‑quality Case Study Interview

We used ChatGPT on the iPhone in voice mode as the interviewer so people could focus entirely on substance. The AI held context, stayed on track, and adapted in real time to keep us moving.

Why we did this

• Human attention is scarce in live sessions
• Good facilitation is hard: holding context, pacing, follow‑ups, and keeping momentum
• We wanted participants focused on content, not on running the interview

What we asked the AI to do

• Act as the interviewer in voice mode
• Guide the conversation one question at a time
• Maintain a running memory of prior answers and themes
• Adjust pacing on request and dig deeper when signals appeared

What happened (highlights)

• Context memory: The AI consistently referenced prior points without being prompted, stitching answers into a clear through‑line
• On‑track pacing: When asked to “ask one question at a time,” it immediately adapted and kept that style throughout
• Focus, not friction: Participants spoke more and faster; we heard fewer “wait, where were we?” interruptions
• Flexible follow‑ups: It probed for clarifications and examples at the right moments without derailing the flow
• Usable output: A coherent, interview‑ready narrative emerged in one sitting, reducing edit cycles

Effectiveness signals we observed

• Fewer context resets and less backtracking
• Natural turn‑taking, with rapid acknowledgement and minimal filler
• High recall on earlier statements, enabling clean callbacks and synthesis
• Smooth topic transitions, even when we interjected mid‑answer with a redirect

What this enabled for the team

• Cognitive bandwidth shifted from “running the interview” to “saying the most important things”
• Faster convergence on a clean outline, with quotes and themes surfaced live
• Lower facilitation overhead and a shorter path from recording to draft

Our reactions

“I’m impressed by how it kept the thread without us having to repeat ourselves.” — Patrick

“It stayed on track and adapted instantly when we asked for one‑question pacing. That kept us focused.” — Leslie Barry

“Honestly, the AI did the facilitation so we could concentrate on the content. That’s the win.” — Patrick

“It remembered what mattered and brought it back at the right moments.” — Leslie Barry

How we set it up (simple recipe)

1. Brief the AI on the goal, red‑lines, and interview arc
2. Run in voice mode and request single‑question pacing
3. Encourage targeted follow‑ups: “ask for a concrete example,” “summarize and move on”
4. Capture live transcript and star key moments for quotes

What to watch for

• Keep prompts crisp and explicit about pacing and depth
• Periodically ask the AI to summarize to confirm shared context
• Mark strong moments in the transcript as you go; it speeds drafting later

Bottom line

Short web version

AI as your interviewer

We used ChatGPT on the iPhone in voice mode to facilitate a live case‑study interview so people could focus entirely on substance. The AI held context, stayed on track with single‑question pacing, and adapted instantly to redirects. Result: cleaner narrative in one sitting, fewer context resets, and faster path from recording to draft.

Key wins

• Strong context memory and clean callbacks
• One‑question pacing kept us focused and moving
• Flexible follow‑ups without derailing flow
• Coherent, quote‑ready output in one session

Bottom line

Let AI run the interview. You bring the content.

Newsletter paragraph

AI as your interviewer? We tried it. In a live case‑study, ChatGPT in voice mode held context, kept single‑question pacing, and adapted on cue—so people stopped “running the interview” and started saying what actually mattered. The result was a cleaner narrative in one sitting, fewer “wait, where were we?” moments, and a faster path from recording to draft. Curious how we set it up and what to watch for? Read the full breakdown.

LinkedIn posts

Social queue

Post 1 — Execs and leads

Copy

AI as your interviewer.

We used ChatGPT on the iPhone in voice mode to run a live case‑study interview. It held context, stayed on track with single‑question pacing, and adapted when we redirected. People stopped “running the interview” and started saying the most important things.

Signals it worked:

• Fewer “wait, where were we?” moments
• Clean callbacks to earlier answers without prompting
• Usable, quote‑ready narrative in one sitting

If attention is your scarcest asset, let AI handle the facilitation so your team can focus on substance.

Image brief

• Option A: Photograph of an iPhone on a neutral desk; tasteful “Voice mode active” overlay
• Option B: Line graphic with three bullets: Holds context. Stays on track. Adapts on cue.

Alt text

iPhone running ChatGPT in voice mode used to facilitate a live interview, enabling participants to focus on content.

Hashtags

#AI #ProductLeadership #Innovation #Facilitation #VoiceAI

Timing (AEST)

Tue 09:00

Post 2 — Practitioners

Copy

Tried this and won’t go back: ChatGPT on iPhone, voice mode, as the interviewer.

How we set it up:

• Single‑question pacing and permission to summarise
• Follow‑up prompts: “ask for a concrete example,” “summarise and move on,” “hold the thread”
• Starred strong quotes in the transcript as we went

What we noticed:

• Better focus, fewer context resets
• Flexible probes without derailing the flow
• Faster path from recording to draft

Let AI run the interview. You bring the content.

Image brief

• Option A: Split graphic — “Before” (messy notes) vs “After” (clean outline + quotes)
• Option B: Transcript mockup with highlighted quotes and a visible “AI summary” box

Alt text

Using ChatGPT voice mode to interview: clean outline and highlighted quotes produced in a single session.

Hashtags

#AI #UXResearch #ProductOps #Interviews #VoiceAI

Timing (AEST)

Thu 12:15

Posting tip

Add the public link to the short web version in the first comment to avoid link‑penalty on reach.

Post 1 — For execs and leads

AI as your interviewer.

We used ChatGPT on the iPhone in voice mode to run a live case‑study interview. It held context, stayed on track with single‑question pacing, and adapted when we redirected. People stopped “running the interview” and started saying the most important things.

Signals it worked:

• Fewer “wait, where were we?” moments
• Clean callbacks to earlier answers without prompting
• Usable, quote‑ready narrative in one sitting

If attention is your scarcest asset, let AI handle the facilitation so your team can focus on substance.

Post 2 — For practitioners

Tried this and won’t go back: ChatGPT on iPhone, voice mode, as the interviewer.

How we set it up:

• Ask for single‑question pacing and permission to summarize
• Prompt for follow‑ups: “ask for a concrete example,” “summarize and move on,” “hold the thread”
• Star strong quotes in the transcript as you go

What we noticed:

• Better focus, fewer context resets
• Flexible probes without derailing the flow
• Faster path from recording to draft

Let AI run the interview. You bring the content.

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Quick‑start checklist — Try AI as your interviewer

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• Device: iPhone with ChatGPT voice mode enabled
• Brief: 3 bullets on goal, audience, and red‑lines
• Pacing: ask for single‑question flow and permission to summarize
• Prompts: “ask for a concrete example,” “summarize and move on,” “hold the thread”
• Capture: record audio + auto‑transcript; star strong quotes in real time
• Wrap: ask the AI for a 5‑bullet summary and next‑step outline

Well‑briefed AI in voice mode can be a dependable facilitator. It holds context, stays on track, adapts on cue, and lets people focus on the content that matters.

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