Data Analysis
Overview
Covers AI tools and features that support quantitative and mixed-methods research data analysis. Includes AI enhancements to established research software (SPSS, MATLAB, NVivo, ArcGIS), standalone AI data analysis tools, and specialist scientific analysis platforms.
Note: Qualitative data analysis with AI coding features is covered in qualitative-coding — NVivo and MAXQDA appear in both areas.
Tools in this area
| Tool | Vendor | Maturity | Status | Cost (GBP/yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ibm-spss | IBM | production-ready | adopt | unknown |
| matlab-copilot | MathWorks | production-ready | adopt | unknown |
| arcgis-pro-geoai | Esri | production-ready | trial | unknown |
| julius-ai | Julius AI | production-ready | trial | unknown |
| maxqda | VERBI Software | production-ready | trial | unknown |
| nvivo | Lumivero | production-ready | trial | unknown |
| asta | Allen Institute for AI (Ai2) | emerging | trial | unknown |
Landscape notes
Existing software upgrades first: The highest-impact near-term opportunities are AI features added to tools Sheffield researchers already use:
- ibm-spss v31 — AI Output Assistant available through existing license upgrade
- matlab-copilot — bundled with R2025b, check Sheffield license coverage
- arcgis-pro-geoai — check existing Esri license scope
No-code analysis: julius-ai lowers the barrier to data analysis for researchers without statistical programming skills. However, the lack of reproducibility and US data residency require caution — not suitable for sensitive data or published research without careful validation.
Qualitative AI: nvivo 15 and maxqda have added AI features (see qualitative-coding for detail). These are among the strongest AI additions to existing research software.
Specialist tools: asta bridges literature search and data-driven scientific discovery — an unusual cross-area tool worth monitoring.
Related capability areas
qualitative-coding · data-collection · hypothesis-generation
Sprint history
- 2026-03-04: Initial population from Q1 2026 AI Landscape Map
Navigation
All capability areas: Ideation and Grant Writing · Literature Review · Hypothesis Generation · Data Collection · Automatic Transcription · Autonomous Laboratories · Data Analysis · Scholarly Writing · Qualitative Coding · Knowledge Bases · Research Data Management