AI May Produce Machine-Dependent Graduates – Ex-UniAbuja VC

Professor Micheal Adikwu is the previous Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, now Yakubu Gowon University. In this interview with HENRY TYOHEMBA, he warned that extreme reliance on Artificial Intelligence (AI) might produce machine-dependent graduates.

How is Artificial Intelligence altering educating, studying and analysis in Nigerian universities?

I personally consider that Artificial Intelligence is likely one of the happenings of the final days in keeping with my Christian ideas. Per week in the past or so, the Americans had been saying that the identify Artificial Intelligence must be modified to Special Intelligence. Whatever which means, isn’t the matter for this dialogue. Artificial Intelligence has many optimistic sides in addition to adverse sides. Let me, nonetheless, go by your concepts and numbering. The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in educating and studying is nice. There are sure concepts that may simply be sourced from numerous Internet sources utilizing Artificial Intelligence. It can be utilized in analysis and numerous facets of educating and studying. Let me say rapidly right here that people like no matter is affordable and simply. Thus, using AI might result in degenerative considering amongst college students. In order phrases, as an alternative of utilizing their mind, they would favor to make use of AI and different facets of Disruptive Technology resembling ChatGTP, which is even an easier type of AI. Due to the issue of imputed laziness to college students, many abroad nations are banning using AI in school rooms. These days, many establishments use some instruments to crosscheck if a lot of a challenge or dissertation or thesis is copied from the web. These instruments are known as plagiarism checkers. In a world the place governments wrestle to make sure that their residents get jobs, some persons are even considering of robots utilizing AI to take over educating and different jobs from people!

What insurance policies or pointers ought to the National Universities Commission (NUC) introduce to make sure accountable AI use in universities?

Your second query has already been addressed within the reply to first query. There must be severe management of using AI launched by the National Universities Commission (NUC). One of the key issues with Developing Countries like Nigeria is that they like consuming developments in all types of expertise however they aren’t initiators. People within the Advanced Countries are already warning that AI has very robust adverse impression on people to the extent that it’s doable of wiping people off from the floor of the earth. We should, subsequently, tread with warning in its use and Government Agencies resembling NUC ought to take the lead in cautioning its use in our establishments of upper studying.

What sensible steps ought to college managements take to stability the advantages of AI with the necessity to defend educational integrity?

Let me say once more that each one your questions are associated. The college authorities should observe the sample and directives of the National Universities Commission (NUC). Excessive use of AI each in educating and studying will produce graduates who’re machine dependent. Albert Einstein is known as saying, “I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.” We are in these days. Students today go about with telephones as an alternative of books. If such college students have methods that can make them to not use their brains however get all their data from the Internet utilizing AI sources, they are going to be very glad. Thus, the authorities in our universities have to be up and doing to test using AI via issuing rules and pointers for its use.