#188 - Why AI Can't Replace Qualitative Research with Sam Ladner of Workday

In this episode of Awkward Silences, host Erin May welcomes qualitative research expert Sam Ladner to discuss the transformative yet limited role of AI in qualitative research. Ladner argues that while AI excels at automating labor-intensive tasks like transcription and closed coding, it fundamentally cannot replace the human elements of qualitative work—especially sensemaking, emotional insight, and intuitive 'unriddling' of complex human experiences. He emphasizes that AI is a correlation machine, not a thinking or feeling entity, and warns against using it for sentiment analysis or AI moderation, which he views as dehumanizing and extractive. Instead, he advocates for using AI as a tool to free researchers from mundane tasks, enabling them to focus on deep, empathetic analysis and the 'little red wagon'—personal research passions that drive meaningful insight. Ladner also explores how AI fails to help organizations think about the future, as imagination and creativity remain uniquely human traits. The conversation concludes with practical advice for research leaders: reserve storytelling, emotional interpretation, and future envisioning for humans, while letting AI handle vigilance and consistency in data processing. Key takeaways include: AI should be used to automate transcription and closed coding, not for sensemaking; outliers and emotional moments are critical to qualitative research and must be human-led; sentiment analysis is not emotional understanding; researchers should identify and protect their 'little red wagon'—their most important research passions; and AI cannot replace human imagination, empathy, or creativity in foresight work. The episode underscores that AI’s true value lies in augmentation, not replacement.