Artificial intelligence in Tourism studies and research in Brazil

Abstract

Academic research on Artificial Intelligence (AI) remains incipient in the context of tourism studies in Brazil. The scientific literature in tourism acknowledges the widespread adoption of AI across various market applications, such as demand forecasting, big data analysis, and automation and robotics in the hotel industry. However, the application of AI specifically for scientific research in tourism is an underexplored theme, as evidenced by searches conducted on Capes Periodicals Portal, which aggregates relevant databases to tourism. The objective of this study is to comprehend the implications of employing AI in scientific research by investigating the perceptions of doctoral-level postgraduate students in tourism programs. Methodologically, it constitutes a qualitative study supported by empirical research, involving 31 structured interviews with postgraduate students conducted at academic events and remotely, guided by content analysis. The non-probabilistic snowball sampling method was employed, with data saturation as the criterion. The findings validate the benefits of stimulating creativity and imagination, as well as the efficiency gains in time and effort allocation for scientific investigations. They identify the primary tools employed in research, offer suggestions for the ethical and responsible use of AI in research, and highlight the nuanced nature of scientific research as a particularly sensitive domain for the integration of AI, where criteria and rigor are indispensable. Apprehensions within the academic community regarding the ethical and responsible use of AI are highlighted, emphasizing the incipient stage of scientific discourse and regulation in the field of tourism. Future studies are suggested to map the legal implications of AI use in research and to expand the research scope by including postgraduate students from the United States and Europe, facilitating a comparative analysis of the utilization of these tools in comparison to Brazil.

Keywords
Artificial Intelligence; Tourism; Academic Research