A professor of Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence) at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) has said the digital age offers a transformative opportunity to harness Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital technologies for the betterment of society. Prof. Bolanle Ojoko made the remarks at the university's 168th Commencement Lecture recently. Speaking on the theme: “Intelligently Traversing the Information Wilderness: Towards Knowledge Discovery and Decision Support”, the professor said: “AI has already had a profound impact on various sectors.
“In healthcare, it aids in diagnosis, new drug discovery, and personalized treatment plans. The financial sector is leveraging AI for fraud detection, algorithmic trading, and risk assessment. Even customer service is being transformed by AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants.” She said the rise of AI comes with several challenges, including the spread of misinformation and disinformation. As such, she advocates for the establishment of standardized quality metrics for online information, greater transparency in search engine algorithms, and fostering media literacy through education.
She also advised that “policymakers should also consider economic incentives to stop the spread of false information.” Professor Ojokoh, co-chair of the TWAS Young Affiliates Network (TYAN) and head of FUTA's Information Systems Department, said, “In shaping the future of this transformative technology, it is critical to ensure that AI is developed and used ethically for the benefit of society. Growing awareness of AI's immense potential has led governments and businesses to invest heavily in research and development. At the same time, the increasing availability of open space libraries and cloud-based platforms has democratized the sector, enabling small businesses and individual developers to harness the power of AI.”
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