Artificial intelligence and large language model-powered chatbots to support qualitative content analysis

In this chapter we provide an overview of how large language models and large language model-powered chatbots can be used for qualitative content analysis. We explain what large language models are and how they relate to artificial intelligence and chatbots. And to help you really understand how they can be used to analyze qualitative data, we present a literature review (see Chapter 9 ) that gives you an overview of the February 2025 state of research on the use of large language model-powered chatbots. Then, we will explain how large language models work and provide practical examples of how they can be integrated into your research. Finally, we will provide guidance on the decisions you need to make about the use of large language models.