A Professor of Labour Economy at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Akoka, Olukemi Lawanson has expressed confidence that it will be difficult for Artificial Intelligence to completely replace some jobs or professions even as this age of AI.
She identified some of those jobs to include human resources managers, priests and clergymen, writers, surgeons, occupational therapists, psychiatrists and psychologists, professional singers, judges and lawyers, sportsmen and women, politicians, event planners, chief executive officers, computer system analysts, teachers, occupational therapists, business intelligence analysts, engineering, leadership roles, artists and designers, IT professionals, customer service and support positions and a host of others.
She explained that AI (which she referred to as robotics ) can only aid and enhance performance in those jobs and not to replace them.
According her, AI is a machine with programmed activities that will not be able to govern people just as the politicians do for example, with emotions, empathy, decision making and so forth.
She also noted that machines cannot equally totally exhibit same characteristics as human beings such as gesticulation, stress, emotions, ability to comprehend problems within the human mind, ability to create and innovate new ideas, motivate, coordinate, negotiate and empathize, among others as applicable to different professionals when carrying out their activities.
“So robots will never be able to truly replace most of these jobs rather will only aid and enhance them,” she stressed
Prof Lawanson shared this thought and perspectives on Wednesday while delivering the seventh inaugural lecture of UNILAG under the current academic session.
She spoke on the topic, titled: ‘To everything there is a season: The perspectives of a labour economist.”
She anchored details of her lecture on human resources management.
While also highlighting some jobs that are most likely to be taken over by AI to include but not limited to bookkeeping clerks, proofreaders, compensation and benefits managers, telemarketing, insurance underwriting, retail, warehouse work, research and analysis, accountants\bookkeepers, computer programmers, customer service representatives: receptionists among others because they can be easily substituted with robots, the don said it is important for every professionals to embrace the use of AI especially to remain relevant in the world of work now and in the future.
She said the increasing use of AI in virtually all professions would leave some people behind if they refuse to embrace the reality of this time of AI.
She, however, urged tertiary institutions, especially universities to be offering courses that are more relevant to the new economic reality in the world of work and in this age of AI.
According to her, university curriculum should incorporate core technical courses and specialized programmes such as robotics, machine learning, natural language, data science deep learning, AI ethics, Computer Vision, AI in business, and so on.
The scholar opined that “By offering a comprehensive curriculum that includes both technical skills and ethical considerations, universities can prepare students for the challenges and opportunities presented by AI.
“As the approach will not only addresses the immediate demand for skilled professionals but also fosters a responsible and innovative AI landscape
“And the time to do all these is now,” she said, using Ecclesiastes 3:14 to round off her lecture.
Prof Lawanson, an alumnus of UNILAG and daughter of a professor (who is now late), however, expressed her deep appreciations to the leadership of UNLAG, her former teachers, mentors, and her family including husband, for their respective roles in her life and the opportunity to deliver the lecture.
In her remark at the event, the vice-chancellor of UNILAG, Prof Folasade Ogunsola, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics & Research), Prof. Bola Oboh, eulogized the virtues of the inaugural lecturer, describing her as a great researcher.
According to her, Prof Lawanson, is a thorough-bred alumnus of UNILAG and she has served and continues to serve the university, meritoriously, in several capacities.
Ogunsola expressed optimism that her lecture would not only add to peoples’ knowledge but also provoke positive change in learning and socio-economic space generally.
“So, by this your rich and well-delivered inaugural lecture, you have successfully paid your academic debt and therefore I welcome you to the committee of professors who have paid their dues in the university system, and you are thereby discharged and acquitted,” the VC submitted.
and then