The 'Lemon' Market in the Data World: Why Modern Research Is Losing Touch with Reality

The article explores the growing popularity of using synthetic samples and LLM-powered chatbots in sociological and product research. Drawing on Mark Hau's work 'Towards ‘augmented sociology’?,' the author analyzes the academic validity of these methods. The text raises a critical question: to what extent can AI-generated data replace real sociological surveys, and are modern studies losing touch with objective reality? The author expresses concern that the rapid adoption of synthetic methods in the industry is outpacing their methodological understanding. The piece discusses the risk of replacing deep scientific analysis with automated surrogates, which could lead to distorted conclusions in applied research. The article calls on fellow researchers to adopt a more cautious and critical approach when integrating generative technologies into the scientific process, emphasizing the need to maintain contact with empirical reality in an era dominated by large language models.