A new study demonstrates that large language models (LLMs) can now match human experts in analyzing the meaning and themes within written language, a task known as qualitative coding. This breakthrough suggests AI could become a powerful tool for researchers in fields like psychology, sociology, and political science, where manually sifting through interview transcripts, surveys, and documents is time-consuming. The research, published in Science Advances, tested models including GPT-4 on real-world datasets, finding they performed on par with human coders in accuracy and reliability. While promising, the authors note the need for careful human oversight to manage potential biases in the AI’s training data and to ensure the nuanced context of language is preserved. This development marks a significant step toward automating complex textual analysis while raising important questions about the future role of human expertise. Read the full article at: https://www.wired.com/story/in-a-first-ai-models-analyze-language-as-well-as-a-human-expert/