Should Generative AI be Used in Reflexive Qualitative Research?

Abstract

Debates about generative artificial intelligence (AI) have produced claims that such tools should be excluded from qualitative, and especially reflexive, research. This note challenges that conclusion. We argue that generative AI is not a single method but a heterogeneous set of transformer-based models, many open and configurable for scholarly use. Situating large language models within a longer lineage of computational text analysis, we suggest decoder-only models offer affordances aligned with qualitative epistemologies, including attention to context and holism. We outline how these models can support reflexive analysis without replacing judgment. We propose technological reflexivity to guide responsible, ethical use.

Keywords

reflexive qualitative research qualitative methods methodology computational methods machine learning generative AI deep learning transformer architecture

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