Qualitative research with artificial intelligence: in search for new practices and tools

About the seminar topic

This talk is partially based on a manuscript I have written with Stine Grodal (under review). We draw on insights from technology studies to distinguish between automated versus augmented approaches to using AI tools for qualitative research. Although enticing, automating qualitative coding undermines theory development by limiting the involvement of reflective humans. In contrast, we offer a framework for augmented qualitative research with AI by explicating how AI can aid in both creating and justifying proto-theories whether researchers take an inductive, abductive or deductive approach to qualitative research. While inductive and deductive qualitative research with AI tools is possible, these approaches risk researchers defaulting to the automated approach. By taking an augmented approach, we move beyond existing methods to identify how qualitative researchers can take advantage of technological tools by explicating their affordances and maintaining the reflexive human in the center of the analysis.

Moreover, I will introduce the Skimle.com tool for qualitative AI analysis and reflect on my experiences from both academic and non-academic contexts and outline future opportunities provided by AI for both settings. While ChatGPT and NotebookLM are highly problematic tools for qualitative researchers, there are ample opportunities for more advanced tools and research processes that we are now only beginning to explore.

If you are interested in Skimle, you can check it out in advance on the Skimle website or on YouTube.

Speaker bio

Henri Schildt is currently teaching and writing a book on digital strategies and data-driven management. He is also the principal investigator at the Academy of Finland-funded project studying how social enterprises and NGOs work with refugees to counter marginalisation. His ongoing research interests include strategic change, strategy processes and organisational cognition.

Register

No registration required. If you have any questions about this seminar, please email Luke Slater.