AI platform sheds light on young Singaporeans' attitudes towards parenthood

Image: 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.

A pioneering study using an Artificial Intelligence (AI) interviewing platform, conducted by NTU Singapore and marketing research firm Research Network, has revealed new insights into the attitudes of Singaporean youths towards parenthood.

The report, titled “Young Singaporeans' Attitudes Toward Parenthood: Key Findings and Policy Implications”, sheds more light on young Singaporean’s hopes, fears, and unique perspectives that shape their family planning decisions.

A total of 230 participants were involved in the study and the survey questions were designed by Professor Gemma Calvert, a neuromarketing pioneer from NTU’s Nanyang Business School.

Using an AI interviewing platform developed by US-based tech startup Listen Labs (listenlabs.ai), participants can share their candid opinions without social pressure or fear of judgment from a human interviewer, resulting in an unprecedented depth of authentic insights.

Key findings from the study indicate 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.