Conducting Research for PhD Students
December 1, 2024
Conducting Research for PhD Students
December 1, 2024

Young Singaporeans’ attitudes towards parenthood-an AI-based study

It’s not every day that we get to witness the unveiling of groundbreaking insights on societal issues, and this week’s press conference was truly special! Here's a glimpse into what went on behind the scenes.

This was a game changer - AI-interviewing platform allows multiple simultaneous and spontaneous interviews - reducing traditional face to face interview approaches from weeks to hours/days. An exciting first for Singapore and academia: we used this novel generative AI-interviewing platform to uncover deep insights into young Singaporean attitudes towards having a family in the future.

This event showcased the incredible collaboration between Nanyang Technological University Singapore and Research Network APAC spearheaded by neuroscientist Prof. Gemma Calvert from the Nanyang Business School. The study was conducted using an innovative AI interviewing platform developed by Listen Labs.

It was an exciting day at IMDA PIXEL filled with meaningful discussions and insights as we unveiled this groundbreaking study. Stay tuned for more updates as we share key findings and their potential impact on shaping policies and decisions in Singapore.

Mr James Breeze, CEO, Research Network and Professor Gemma Calvert, Nanyang Business School, NTU Singapore, who used an AI-powered platform to interview young Singaporeans on their views on parenthood.

Key findings from the study

The study indicates that financial concerns are the top barrier to having children, with 70 per cent of respondents citing the high cost of living and the financial demands of raising a family in Singapore.            

Mr James Breeze, CEO of Research Network, said their innovative use of AI in research has demonstrated how researchers can conduct their studies rapidly, generating actionable findings within weeks, rather than several months with conventional telephone or face-to-face interviews.

Prof Calvert added that using such an AI platform may eliminate social desirability bias, typically present in face-to-face interviews, where interviewees subconsciously reply in a manner they think would be more suitable or preferable by the interviewer.

In contrast, having an AI ask questions using neutral sentences presented as text on a web app, and participants speaking in response, allows for a mirror-like experience where respondents feel more comfortable expressing their true feelings, similar to talking to themselves.