Nigerians urged to be cautions on AI use

Nigerians, especially youths, have been cautioned on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their day-to-day activities, as over-reliance on AI could have dire consequences on human and native intelligence.

The Managing Director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone Limited, Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju, gave the advice at the inaugural public lecture of the African School of Economics (ASE), which was held on Thursday in Abuja, titled “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Higher Education in Africa.”

According to Professor Adeyanju, inasmuch as education remains the central driver for Africa’s future development, AI applications must be used wisely so that human intelligence is not completely eroded and is not at the mercy of AI.

The guest speaker, who listed illiteracy, teacher shortages, early marriage, rural-urban divide, violence in and around schools, and other challenges confronting education in Africa, said AI can be used to assess student learning, develop new teaching methods, provide remote learning opportunities, address teacher shortages, personalise learning experiences, and improve access to educational materials. He also called for African AI for Africans so that they will not deviate from their culture and values.

“The lecture is about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the future of higher education. The whole idea is that AI can be used to leverage a lot of improvements in our higher education, but not just higher education—actually education at all levels, primary, secondary, and tertiary education.

“The truth is that AI is very important, but native intelligence is also important. The first thing we must realise is that AI is a device, a computer system created by humans. The understanding is that the human who created something as good as AI can do better.

“AI 20, 30 years ago did not exist. We don’t know what will exist in 50 years’ time. And therefore, as much as we are using AI, we should enhance our native intelligence and not let AI replace it. It is very important.”

He added that to aid education growth and development in Nigeria, the Federal Government is working to improve broadband penetration in urban as well as rural areas.

“I think the government is doing its part. We all need to play our part. One of the things I mentioned is the infrastructural deficit, which the government is trying to plug. The Minister of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, is coming up with 90,000 kilometres of fibre to improve broadband penetration not just within the urban areas but even in the rural areas.

“Also, NITDA is working on digital literacy across different levels, and I think all we need to do is ensure that governments at all levels are playing their parts, and not just the Federal Government but the state and local governments and even the private sector. And with that, Nigeria will move forward,” Professor Adeyanju told Tribune Online.

The Vice Chancellor, African School of Economics, Professor Mahfuz Adedimeji, in his speech, said there is a need for protocols and control in the use of AI so that it won’t be abused and affect critical thinking.

“Like social media, AI can also be fantastically abused to undermine critical thinking as less discerning people are tempted to outsource their intelligence to Artificial Intelligence.

“This is why, as the exciting journey of AI is embarked upon, there is a need for protocol, policies, and frameworks to safeguard those values that are dear to us so that technology one day does not become our master, controlling and misleading us.

“I believe the tail should not wag the dog, and humans should always be in charge, not that we should allow technology to control us,” the VC said.

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