Exploring ChatGPT’s potential as a qualitative research partner: researcher and participant perspectives on AI-generated insights

The increasing presence of generative AI in research presents both opportunities and challenges for qualitative data analysis. While generative AI tools such as ChatGPT can assist with pattern recognition, text classification, and summarisation, their role in in-depth, interpretive qualitative analysis remains underexplored. This paper examines the integration of ChatGPT as an active collaborator in qualitative data analysis, using a researcher-participant-ChatGPT triad to explore its potential in meaning-making and participatory research. Our findings showcase that ChatGPT can streamline initial coding, enhance researcher reflexivity, and serve as a catalyst for intellectual discovery, yet its effectiveness is contingent on human oversight and well-crafted prompt design. The study also highlights the triadic model as a new approach to participatory research, where generative AI-generated insights empower participants, decentralise researcher authority, and promote inclusive knowledge construction.