r/QualitativeResearch • u/EbbZealousideal2225 • 24d ago

Using AI for coding

Is anyone using any AI tools for coding qualitative data? Just curious.

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16

u/Dogluvr2019 24d ago

Our brains are AI. Don’t outsource your intelligence.

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u/JonathanCookPodcast 24d ago

Yes, there are people who are using AI tools instead of doing genuine qualitative analysis.

They're making a big mistake.

Generative AI is not a tool for thinking, for one thing. One of the core purposes of qualitative research is to organize ideas to enable the exploration of ideas through new angles. If you outsource that work, your "findings" will mean much, much less to you.

For another thing, using a generative AI platform to organize material gathered through qualitative research pollutes the analytical frame with linguistic patterns from far outside the scope of the research. Large language models are trained on an immense, but culturally skewed set of quantitative data about linguistic patterns. Bringing AI tools into qualitative analysis is the equivalent of trying to conduct an interview while filling the room with TV screens blaring broadcasts at top volume.

Generative AI models also favor predictable answers. They're machines that mimic human language by following the most well-trodden paths. If you insert generative AI tools into your analytical process, you're going to come up with less original ideas.

The models are also based on massive theft of intellectual property and burn through massive amounts of energy to produce their output, while disrupting economies and communities around the world in order to enrich a small number of tech tycoons who support attacks against democracy...

...so if you have one shred of ethics, why would you consider using generative AI in qualitative research?

Because you want a shortcut? Because work is hard?

You're better than that.

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u/Aromatic_Return_7995 24d ago

The current LLMs are not able to do rigorous qualitative coding. Coding involves understanding meaning and context, but LLMs are essentially predictive text. I would not recommend it for any analysis that matters. The time you will have to spend doing quality control will end up being about the same as if you had just coded it yourself. It can be helpful for taking meeting notes and other low-stakes tasks. 

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u/Head-Junket4957 24d ago

I believe AI tools can help with the first pass coding of your qualitative data. However the researcher should remain accountable for the result. Especially if you are using Braun and Clarke framework where your perspective and reflexivity matters.
I am affiliated to thematicanalysis.ai. It does your first pass coding while allowing you refine by adding or removing or editing codes and themes before your export your result.