Integrating AI in historical research: a new method to analyzing national narratives

Abstract This paper presents a human-machine collaboration method to integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into historical research, specifically in the analysis of national narratives. Using President Ronald Reagan’s portrayal of America as a case study, the paper demonstrates how AI tools like natural language processing, BERTopic., and generative large language models, when guided by historians, can streamline the analysis of national narratives, significantly enhancing research efficiency. While AI tools have been successfully implemented in social science research, historical research requires more nuanced methods due to its emphasis on language and imagery within narratives. This study seeks to address this gap. This paper also examines the potential impact of AI on historical methodology, while acknowledging the challenges and limitations of integrating AI into historical research. Despite its promising capabilities, the paper argues that AI should be viewed as a research partner that assists historians with repetitive tasks, but underscores that human interpretation remains crucial for producing meaningful historical analysis.