Leveraging and Learning from AI in Research Ethics: A Case Study in Automating TCPS2 Navigation

DESCRIPTION OF SESSION

As artificial intelligence tools become increasingly prevalent in research administration, understanding both their potential and limitations is crucial. This presentation examines a case study from unique perspectives—a research ethics expert and a research coordinator—of using AI to help navigate the complexity of the TCPS2, revealing important insights about the challenges of automating complex ethical decision-making processes. While AI successfully generated structured decision pathways from the policy text, expert validation revealed significant gaps in capturing the nuanced interconnections between TCPS2 Articles and the contextual subtleties essential to ethical review. Through the complementary lenses of expert oversight and practical application, we explore how AI tools can support but not replace human expertise in research ethics, highlighting specific instances where algorithmic interpretation missed crucial policy interconnections. The findings demonstrate both the promise and limitations of AI in research ethics administration, while emphasizing the continued importance of human judgment and expertise, and the value of diverse perspectives in evaluating new technologies.