The Ethics of Empathy: How Researchers Are Balancing AI Automation with Human-Centric Subjectivity

This article explores the growing ethical conversation around the role of empathy in research as artificial intelligence automation becomes widespread in qualitative methodologies. While AI tools speed up tasks like transcription, coding, and pattern detection, critics worry that over-reliance on automation can erode trust, context, and the human interpretive judgment that gives qualitative research its depth and meaning. The piece highlights how ethical decision-making, participant dignity, and nuanced understanding still require human oversight, and advocates for hybrid research models where AI assists but researchers provide empathy, accountability, and interpretive insight — preserving both quality and ethical integrity in the age of automation.