Thematic Analysis through Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Authors

Prokopis A. Christou PhD, Cyprus University of TechnologyFollow

Abstract

Thematic analysis, a well-enforced qualitative analytic method, is likely to continue evolving with the adoption of AI technologies. This how-to report does not delve into the details of thematic analysis itself, as there are ample existing studies on the topic. Instead, it acknowledges the potential impacts, dynamics, and pitfalls of AI in thematic analysis while offering valuable advice, particularly for novice analysts, on how to incorporate and document AI tools in each phase of a thematic analysis. The author underscores the importance of not allowing AI to overshadow the analyst's critical evaluative and interpretive skills but instead supporting the use of AI as an aid in thematic analysis, enhancing the depth and breadth of analysis, provided certain criteria are adhered to. This approach ensures that AI serves as a complementary tool, augmenting rather than replacing human analytical inquiry.

Keywords

thematic analysis, artificial intelligence, AI, qualitative research

Author Bio(s)

Prokopis A. Christou is an Assistant Professor at Cyprus University of Technology and specializes in qualitative methodologies, contemporary experiential issues, and the overall use of AI in qualitative research. He has published books and articles in prestigious academic journals based on qualitative methodologies, including conceptual papers, critical perspective articles, systematic reviews, ethnographic, phenomenological, and other empirical studies. His interest in AI stems from his observation that it is becoming increasingly useful in academia and research, yet is progressively associated with a number of risks, including the elimination of the human factor, a decrease in human investment in critical and evaluative thinking, and ethical-academic integrity challenges in its implementation. As such, he has investigated the applications, potentials, dynamics, limitations, and implications of AI in various research and analysis-linked tasks. In conceptual and critical review papers, he has addressed concerns about how to effectively use AI as a resource, methodological tool, and analysis tool in qualitative research in an endeavor to deliver practical applications for the appropriate use of AI in research. Please direct correspondence to prokopis.christou@cut.ac.cy

Publication Date

2-9-2024

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2024.7046

Recommended APA Citation

Christou, P. A. (2024). Thematic Analysis through Artificial Intelligence (AI). The Qualitative Report, 29(2), 560-576. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2024.7046

ORCID ID

0000-0001-6628-2619