Abstract
The rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in professional industries requires higher education to modernize curricula. This study describes and evaluates an experiential marketing research project that integrates GenAI as a research partner in an upper-level, undergraduate marketing research course at South Dakota State University. Grounded in Social Constructivism, Hybrid Intelligence Theories, and Cognitive Load Theory, the project uses four Progress Reports to guide using GenAI as a research partner across marketing research tasks, from refining objectives and pretesting surveys to assisting with statistical analysis and identifying project limitations. End-of-semester student survey results (n=23) indicate high levels of satisfaction with GenAI as a research partner (83%) and intent to use GenAI professionally (87%). Results indicate GenAI minimizes extraneous cognitive load by automating mechanical tasks without compromising academic rigor. This shifts student effort toward germane processing, data synthesis, and strategic problem-solving, equipping graduates for an evolving human-AI workplace.
Rights
© 2026 The Authors
Recommended Citation
Leschewski, Andrea and Daraboina, Rohini, "The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Partner: A Framework For Using Generative AI in Student Marketing Research" (2026). The Interdisciplinary Journal for Research on Pedagogy and Learning Design, Vol. 1, Issue 1., Fall 2026. 7.
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/ijrpld/7
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License