10-07-2025
Bolt Insight gains SOC 2 Type I for secure AI research platform
Bolt Insight has announced that its AI-powered qualitative research platform, BoltChatAI, has achieved SOC 2 Type I compliance certification.
This certification demonstrates that Bolt Insight has met the five Trust Services Criteria relating to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. SOC 2 Type I is a widely recognised framework, developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), aimed at validating that a company's internal controls and systems protect client data in a reliable and secure manner.
Data protection
The process to achieve SOC 2 Type I involved a comprehensive audit of BoltChatAI's underlying infrastructure, operational policies, and day-to-day processes. Independent auditors assessed every layer of the platform to ensure that controls were suitably designed and implemented to protect data. The certification covers not only technical protections but also reviews the governance and transparency of the company's procedures with regards to privacy and confidentiality.
Over 100 brands globally use BoltChatAI, including organisations such as Reckitt, L'Oreal, and Unilever, relying on it for qualitative research that captures insights from sources such as video interviews and chat transcripts. The new certification offers these clients formal assurance of the company's data security practices.
Commitment to trust
Bolt Insight's CEO and Co-Founder, Hakan Yurdakul, made clear the company's approach to balancing the pace of technological adoption with responsible practices: We've always said trust is the foundation of great research and that applies just as much to how we treat data as it does to how we speak to people. This certification shows that we're not only moving fast, but we're doing it responsibly and transparently.
The SOC 2 Type I certification, he stated, affirms not only the speed of development but also the company's commitment to security and openness.
Ethical framework
Bolt Insight's ethical protocol extends beyond technical and operational compliance. Every aspect of the platform is designed to conform to ethical standards around research participation and data use. The company's policies include obtaining informed consent from all research participants, providing transparency about how artificial intelligence is used in studies, and a firm stance that client data is never utilised for training AI models.
According to the company, these measures are designed to reassure customers and partners that their information is kept confidential and secure, and that the data generated by their research activity remains under their control at all times.
Platform capabilities
BoltChatAI's core functionality includes AI-driven moderation to facilitate real-time qualitative research at scale. It is equipped with smart probing techniques, stimulus upload features, multilingual support, and can conduct meta-analysis to identify trends across studies. Its Dynamic Personas feature enables profiles to develop and evolve as more data points are accumulated, supporting more strategic insights for users.
The company also offers BoltQ, a quantitative survey platform, to complement the qualitative focus of BoltChatAI, providing clients with a broader set of tools for consumer research and insight generation.
Bolt Insight has stated that as research methodologies continue to digitise and expand globally, SOC 2 Type I compliance strengthens its proposition by assuring clients of secure, scalable, and ethical operations. The certification is intended to support both ongoing client relationships and future growth by demonstrating accountability in data handling and privacy management practices.
