Evaluating the Influence of Artificial Intelligence on Scholarly Research: A Study Focused on Academics

Abstract

This study is aimed at exploring the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on academic research by conducting a focus group research strategy. The focus group consists of individuals who are actively involved in academic research and have experience working with AI technologies. The purpose of the focus group is to gather in-depth insights into how AI has influenced research methodologies, findings, and overall knowledge creation. The study will begin by identifying seven participants through purposive sampling, with an aim of recruiting a diverse group of individuals from various academic disciplines. Purposive sampling, also known as selective sampling, enhances the study’s validity by ensuring that the sample consists of individuals with a high level of expertise in the subject matter. Seven is large enough to generate a diverse range of perspectives and experiences and small enough to ensure that every participating academic researcher has a chance to contribute to the conversation. The focus group is conducted using a Zoom video conferencing to gather academics from different institutions across the world. It also eliminates distance issue required for conducting an in-person session. This provides opportunity to cover a wide array research specialization representation. Data analysis is conducted using a thematic analysis approach, with a focus on identifying key themes and patterns that emerge from the data. The findings of this study contribute to a better understanding of the impact of AI on academic research and provide insights into the potential future direction of AI in academic research. While the study is aimed at providing practical recommendations for researchers who are interested in incorporating AI into their research practices, it also ignites the conversation on future incorporation of technologies into academic research activity.