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Social Science
Index: #89

Underdevelopment of Modern Tools in the Social Sciences

The social sciences need new tools to help researchers identify and prioritize important questions that will have an impact, and better infrastructure to collect qualitative data. Qualitative methods are powerful for understanding the how and why behind social outcomes, yet even the most comprehensive surveys don’t capture all the factors that contribute to social outcomes. AI-enabled qualitative methods could super-charge the social sciences, but there is much work to be done. Similarly, many archaeological methods remain manual and lack the technological revolution seen in other fields, limiting discovery and analysis.

Foundational Capabilities (3)

Modernize Survey Infrastructure

Develop modern, scalable survey platforms that can efficiently capture and analyze public opinion data and other qualitative data for social sciences. New tools are needed to collect, analyze, curate, and model large-scale qualitative data.
  • Guided Track
    Company
  • Personality Map
    Company
  • Positly
    Company
  • Allegra Cohen
    Individual
  • Instant polls for meetings and conferences using AI
    Initiative
  • Polis
    Initiative
  • Remesh
    Initiative
  • US Census Bureau: Measuring America's People and Economy
    Initiative
  • Conducting Qualitative Interviews with AI
    Research and Reviews
  • The Collective Intelligence Project
    Research Org

    • Satellite and Machine Learning-Enabled Archaeology

    Apply satellite imagery and ML techniques to modernize archaeological surveys and analysis, enabling more rapid and systematic discoveries.
  • Google Earth Engine for archaeologists: An updated look at the progress and promise of remotely sensed big data
    Initiative
  • Vesuvius Challenge
    Initiative

    • Infrastructure for Problem-Driven Research

    A framework to help researchers identify and pursue meaningful questions. This includes support structures—such as fellowship programs to train students in problem-driven research workflows, and innovative funding mechanisms to empower researchers to focus on questions that truly matter.
  • The Gradient Fund
    Funding Program