The Founder, Hyperspace and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NeuRaL AI, Dr. Oluseyi Akindeinde, has asserted the critical role up-skilling of knowledge will play in the adoption and sustainability of AI in Nigeria.
Speaking during a panel session at a recent forum organised by the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) in Lagos on “Impact of AI on National Development: Prospects, Policies, and Challenges in Nigeria”, Dr. Akindeinde noted Nigeria does not yet have the requisite skill to embrace the concept of Artificial Intelligence. While adding that AI, as a piece of technology, is a general all-purpose technology that can be used across several industries, just like the internet, he affirmed that skills development will help for a better understanding of the technology, which is relatively new in our clime.
“So, one of the things we have noted is that we don’t have that skill; even the regulator as well, because the challenge is that technology will always precede regulation but if you want to regulate you can’t regulate what you don’t understand. How come we had protest and we cannot use AI to identify those who were looting, stealing or causing destruction, I know in other climes they have a data base where they can actually tell you the person. But in other to do all these you need the skill, you need the understanding of the piece of technology that you are going to be dealing with.”
Dr. Akindeinde further noted that AI adoption, as disruptive as it is, would not take away people’s jobs, as envisioned by most Nigerians, rather it would enhance their productivity.
“Any time there is new technology that comes in, there is that phobia that it is going to be disruptive, yes it is disruptive but when a piece of technology is disruptive that means it can do things cheaper, it can do things faster and it can do things better. But some of the challenges are based on the assumption that AI is going to take our jobs; and because it is going to take our jobs, the first thing is to push it back and will not allow it.”
He explained that the beauty of AI adoption is that whilst it will take away redundant jobs, it will create jobs that will grow industries.
“It was the same thing about 25 years ago when we started hearing about internet, even Journalists felt at a time, that there will no longer be newspapers, since anybody can just go online and have a blog and start reporting. Are we still going to have TV since somebody would go on YouTube and upload a video? But when the internet came, it democratized information dissemination. The same thing is happening with artificial intelligence,” he said.
Dr. Akindeinde further explained that rather than take away jobs, Artificial intelligence is going to help Nigerians. Adding that the intelligence is still artificial. “Whatever you are currently doing it is going to help your operation, it is not going to take your job because at the end of the day AI is artificial intelligence. Now for it to work that means something has existed which is human intelligence.”
He highlighted some case scenarios.
“As a Reporter, AI would make your job better; there is an app in the phone that as I am speaking, it is recording and not only recording, it is transcribing everything as well. Another person who doesn’t have it would use one hour transcribing the recording but the AI would do that in seconds, so right now you can be more productive.
AI can also be used in the movie industry, AI can listen to every conversation in a movie and transcribe in two minutes what would take one week or more to transcribe.” He muted the idea of the need for training for Journalists on AI so that they will understand the workings of AI for proper information dissemination.
Speaking about the impact of AI on education, he said that Africa is wired for consumption, adding that they don’t produce and they don’t do things that affect the global economy all because of the educational system. He gave the instance of China where their educational system permits them to teach their children in their local language, the language they understand. “With AI when you are teaching in English it will be appearing to the person in his own language, everything is converted on the spot, it is not as if they are going to translate it, it is not as if you are going to teach Igbo teacher mathematics, no, AI can do that for you on the spot.” And this can be used for rural educational and skills purpose.
Dr. Akindeinde disclosed further that AI can also help a vision impaired person by deploying a vision model to know what is happening around them. He decried the absence of skilled personnel among professionals for adjudication and or regulation of issues relating to IA, he therefore suggested that lawyers, Journalists, doctors and others should go for training to up-skill their knowledge on the workings of AI.
NeuRaL AI is a provider of essential support to organisations intending to build and deploy Large Language Models (LLMs).
