AI in Research: Opportunities, Risks, & What it Means for Students

Daniel Todd 17 Dec 2025

In this episode of the Student Outcomes podcast, host Sarah discusses the transformative role of AI in research methodology with guest Sarah Askew. They explore how AI is changing the way researchers engage with participants, the ethical implications of AI use, and the potential risks and benefits of integrating AI into research practices. The conversation also touches on the importance of maintaining human oversight in AI applications and the future of AI in research.

REFERENCED RESOURCES

White paper on synthetic data

https://strat7.com/ebooks/putting-synthetic-data-to-the-test/

Ebooks on people’s attitudes to AI (one last year and one this year, the latter with a focus on AI adoption in the workplace)

https://researchbods.strat7.com/2024/05/ai-state-of-mind-insights-and-attitudes-to-shape-the-future/

https://researchbods.strat7.com/2025/04/ais-evolution-emerging-attitudes-and-its-adoption-in-the-workplace/

Ross’ blog on WEIRD AI

https://strat7.com/blogs/weird-in-weird-out/

CHAPTERS

00:00 – AI’s Impact on Research Methodology

06:16 – Opportunities and Risks of AI in Research

11:32 – Participant Sentiment Towards AI

16:54 – AI Applications in Research Process

23:06 – Engaging Students Through AI

26:15 – AI in Research: Enhancing Data Quality

26:51 – Balancing Depth and Efficiency in AI Research

28:55 – Understanding Synthetic Data and Its Implications

30:44 – Risks and Benefits of Synthetic Data in Research

36:42 – Addressing Bias in AI Models

44:25 – Practical Takeaways for AI in Research

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