START TIME: 8:00 am US Pacific Time
Evolving with the Tech: Building Tomorrow’s Qual Researcher Today | Zontziry Johnson
In a landscape where tools and tech are evolving faster than ever, today’s qualitative researchers can’t afford to stand still. In this practical, forward-focused session, Zontziry Johnson maps out the essential skills researchers need to stay relevant in a tech-enhanced world—from navigating AI-powered platforms to integrating new tools without disrupting established workflows. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or mentoring the next generation, you’ll gain strategies to future-proof your approach and insights on how junior researchers can enter the field ready to thrive.
From Skepticism to Success: Navigating Client Hesitation About AI-Moderated Qualitative Research | Amy Basile
One of the biggest hurdles in adopting AI for qualitative research is client skepticism toward AI-moderated approaches. Drawing on her experience implementing Outset.ai across a range of industries, Amy shares strategies for overcoming resistance and helping stakeholders recognize the value of this emerging methodology. She’ll present insights from a comparative study on participant engagement in traditional IDIs versus AI-moderated interviews, highlighting cases where AI delivered comparable, or even superior, results. Common concerns around depth, nuance, and rapport are addressed head-on, with practical guidance for building client confidence in AI-assisted research.
Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3; Optimizing Your AI Toolbox with Intention | Emily Breay
The sheer number of AI tools available can lead to overwhelm—a feeling that there is always some solution researchers are missing out on. How do you optimize your AI toolbox with intention so you create lasting partnerships with people and platforms that will serve you for the long run, not just on individual projects? In this presentation, Emily will walk us through the “Steps in the Quest,” highlighting what she listens for in good partners, what factors she weighs, and some of her AI non-negotiables. The process she outlines applies to tool exploration broadly but is especially important when considering AI capabilities. An intentional, systematic, documented approach, prioritizing lasting partnerships over ad-hoc tools, saves researchers time, money, and headache, and provides more confidence in their overall tech integration.
Re-inventing Qualitative Research | Silvana di Gregorio
AI capabilities are advancing at an unprecedented pace, as highlighted in Stanford University’s HAI AI Index Report 2025. Tasks such as transcription, translation, and text analysis—once prone to errors—are now becoming increasingly reliable, presenting qualitative researchers with powerful new tools ranging from text analyzers to multimedia content generators. Silvana explores how this rapid AI evolution offers exciting opportunities while also raising important questions about maintaining sustainable and ethical research practices. She will share insights from pioneering qualitative researchers who are experimenting with these technologies and discuss the implications for the future of qualitative research.